Sports Injury Prevention

The STOP Sports Injuries campaign is geared towards providing guidance on healthy and safe athletic participation and should not be considered a replacement for speaking with your physician, athletic trainer or other qualified healthcare provider.

How to Prevent Sports Injuries

Prevention is always the best way to deal with sports injuries. There are several steps you and your children can take for safety's sake.

For starters, wear sport-specific protective gear. If your son plays football, for example, he'll need a helmet, mouth guard, protective cup, proper footwear and other body pads.
Another key to preventing sports injuries is to always warm up before practice or a game. Be sure your child's coach includes slow stretching to lengthen players' muscles and increase blood flow.
To prevent dehydration from the South Florida heat, children also need to take frequent drink breaks (every 15-20 minutes in the hottest months of the year).

STOP Sports Injuries

The STOP Sports Injuries Campaign wants to be sure that you have all the information you need to keep kids in the game for life. Whether you are an athlete, coach, healthcare provider or parent, we have the sports injury prevention tips and tools to make sure safety is your first priority.

There are injuries and issues common to many sports. See our tip sheets on preventing and treating specific athletic injuries and issues.

Help keep kids in the game for life!

Links available in this page are not necessarily endorsed, reviewed, or sponsored by Nicklaus Children's Hospital. By clicking on any of the links, you will be leaving NCH's Website.

To help keep kids in the game for life, STOP Sports Injuries targets the sports that have the highest rates of overuse and trauma injuries. Check out these helpful sports injury prevention tips that are provided to you by the STOP Sports Injuries campaign.

Sport Specific Resources

Basketball - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – With modern basketball's fast pace game come many opportunities for injuries. It is estimated that more than 1.6 million injuries are associated with basketball each year.

Cheerleading - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Cheerleading is considered an athletic activity that incorporates elements of dance and gymnastics along with stunts and pyramid formations.

Cycling - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Since the 1800s when bicycles first made their appearance, cycling has become popular for commuting, recreation, exercise, and sport. Today, there are about 80 million cyclists in the United States.

Dance - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – For many people dance may not spring to mind when thinking about sports, but the physical demands placed on the bodies of dancers have been shown to make them just as susceptible as football players to injury.

Field Hockey - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Interest in field hockey has grown dramatically in North America, and today there are more than 5,000 women competing at the collegiate level each year. As the sport has evolved, it has become faster-paced and more physical. As a result, the number of and severity of injuries has increased.

Figure Skating - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – In recent years the physical demands of figure skating have increased dramatically with a corresponding increase in potentially detrimental effects on the adolescent body.

Football - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Football is one of the most popular sports played by young athletes, and it leads all other sports in the number of injuries sustained.

Golf - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Golf looks like an easy game to play, hitting a stationary object with a club into a relatively wide open space. Well, think again!

Gymnastics - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Each year, more than 86,000 gymnastics-related injuries are treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, and ambulatory surgery centers. Gymnasts must consistently prepare for the rigorous physical and emotional toils that the sport requires.

Hockey - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Ice hockey is a finesse sport that requires a unique combination of speed, power, and teamwork. As a result, players are at risk for specific injury patterns—some of them avoidable.

Inline Skating - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Inline skating is a popular form of exercise that can burn as many calories as running or cycling while potentially placing less stress on the joints of the lower body.

Lacrosse - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – With its roots in Native American cultures, lacrosse is America's oldest and currently fastest growing team sport.

Martial Arts - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Martial arts are a popular form of exercise and sport worldwide. In the United States there are an estimated 8 million participants in martial arts, with Tae kwon do and Karate being most popular.

Rowing - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Rowing is an unusual sport in that the athletes sit facing the stern of the boat with their feet anchored in sneakers attached to a foot stretcher.

Rugby - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – In recent years rugby has been gaining in popularity in the United States with athletes from elementary school to adults playing the game.

Running - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Running is a great form of exercise, recreation, and sport participation for adults, adolescents, and children.

Skiing and Snowboarding - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Tens of thousands of skiers and snowboarders enjoy snowsports every year, however few prepare for the rigorous physical demands that these sports place on the body.

Soccer - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world and the fastestgrowing team sport in the United States.

Softball - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Softball injuries in young athletes are on the rise and nearly as frequent as baseball injuries, but they generally result in less time lost to competition. These injuries most commonly involve the back, shoulder, forearm, wrist, and hand.

Swimming - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Swimming is among the most popular low-impact fitness activities, with more than a million competitive and recreational swimmers in the United States.

Tennis - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Tennis, played worldwide, is one of the most popular racket sports. A high number of tournaments for competitive tennis players may lead to overuse injuries, such as "tennis elbow" or wrist injuries.

Volleyball - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – As participation has increased over the past two decades, the number of volleyball-related injuries has risen as well.

Water Polo - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Over the past 20 years, water polo participation has grown significantly in the United States. Sportsmanship, equipment, and attention to preparation and strengthening can help prevent injuries and enhance and improve performance.

Wrestling - STOP Sports Injuries

October 20, 2016 – Wrestling, one of the world's oldest sports, is offered at various levels of competition, including the Olympics, the American Athletic Union, the U.S. Wrestling Federation, and high school and college-sponsored tournaments.

Baseball - STOP Sports Injuries

October 13, 2016 – Injuries in young athletes are on the rise, but elbow and shoulder injuries in children are on the verge of becoming an epidemic.