Health tips for student athletes

Q: Our teenager has daily schoolsponsored baseball practices. What health tips can your offer? A: “You can help protect your student athlete’s health by having him or her follow a few basic precautions,” says Ije “Ej” Nwaeze, M.D., an Orthopedics and Sports Medicine physician at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. Dr. Nwaeze suggests:

• Stretching. Stretching prior to the main activity followed by stretching afterwards helps protect tendons and ligaments from injuries.

• Wearing protective gear. Elbow, knee and shin guards, and in some cases ankle braces, help prevent some common injuries.

• Getting adequate rest. Teen athletes juggle school with their extracurricular sports activities and need the proper amount of rest.

• Staying hydrated! This is important in Houston’s heat and humidity. Drink plenty of fluids before practice and during games, even if not thirsty. Water is best, but some sports drinks with electrolytes are also helpful.

• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher when outdoors between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

• Pay attention to pain. Don’t let your child participate when in pain. Some athletes, especially younger ones, believe they can “work through” pain. While doing so might seem heroic, it can worsen the injury, complicate treatment and prolong recovery. “Persistent pain may be a warning sign of serious injury and indicate a need to be examined by an Orthopedics or Sports Medicine physician,” concludes Dr. Nwaeze, who treats patients at Kelsey-Seybold’s The Vintage Clinic.