Section Menu

STOP Sports Injuries

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.

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 the Nicklaus Children's Hospital Website.

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!

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

Sad girl sitting next to scale.

Hidden in Plain Sight: Does Your Child Have an Eating Disorder?

February 17, 2026 –

It’s estimated that 22 percent of children and adolescents worldwide have some form of disordered eating.* Could your child be one of those affected?

The Risks of Vaping – What Parents Need to Know

September 24, 2019 – Until recently, the severity of e-cigarette use or “vaping” has been minimized. However, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is currently investigating an outbreak of lung disease in connection with e-cigarette use following the deaths of six people as a result of e-cigarette use or “vaping.”

Navigating the Teen Years - A Parental Survival Guide

November 14, 2013 – “Adolescence is often the period in a child’s life when he or she begins to separate from his parents and develop his own identity,” says Lorena Siqueira, MD, Adolescent Medical Director at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. “The child’s effort to become more independent can be a difficult time for the whole family.”

Body Piercing

November 03, 2013 – Piercing is an invasive, permanent process which can lead to infections at the site of your piercing as well as more serious infections like Hepatitis B. There are a few things you need to consider before you make this decision to make sure you are happy with your piercing and that you stay safe.

Calcium and Your Teen - Why Milk Matters

November 03, 2013 – Calcium is the main mineral that strengthens bones and this is most important during adolescence when teens are going through their growth spurt. Almost half of the bone mass a teen will have for the rest of his life is made during adolescence.

Common Questions About Breast Development

November 03, 2013 – Breast development is the first sign of puberty in the majority of adolescent females. This can occur as early as age 8 years.

Fiber - What's the Deal?

November 03, 2013 – Fiber is the term used to describe carbohydrates that cannot be digested and therefore cannot be absorbed by the human intestinal tract.

Helping Your Teen Become A Safe Driver

November 03, 2013 – According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), teenagers account for only 7% of the driving population but are involved in 14% of fatal car crashes. Motor vehicle accidents are the #1 cause of death and injury for people ages 15-19.

Planning for College

November 03, 2013 – College is not just about books, dorm rooms and roommates. Other issues exist that should be thought about before your child goes to college.