How to Prevent Football Injuries in Students

In the US, fall brings cooler weather, changing leaves and, of course, football season. From peewee teams all the way up through the pros, people of all ages participate in this immensely popular sport. If you are the parent of a child who plays football, it‘s important to know that this sport is one of the most common causes of injuries. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help ensure your favorite player won‘t sustain injuries that will affect him throughout the rest of his life.

Avoiding Common Football Injuries

Among student football players, the most common injuries are non-fatal back and neck injuries. Injuries affecting the knees are also common. Sometimes, these injuries can end a football player‘s career and cause pain and a host of other problems later in life.

Help your child avoid serious spinal injuries on the field by ensuring they take care of themselves before, during and even after the game.

Strength Training

Most football coaches and trainers emphasize the importance of strength training, but unfortunately, many only focus on parts of the body that improve performance during the game. While strengthening the legs and the upper body makes students better football players, remembering to strengthen the neck muscles as well is just as important. Toned neck muscles are able to absorb more of the force of a collision, which helps prevent serious injuries to the neck.

Before and After the Game

Warming up before the game and cooling down after are extremely important. Warm-ups make the muscles less likely to tear, and cool down exercises prevent sharp contractions of the muscles when they have been overexerted.

Making sure the muscles are ready for intense physical activity and sufficiently cooled down afterward ensures that they can absorb impact and protect the spine as well as other joints, such as the knees.

Avoiding Cervical Spine Injury

Many of the injuries sustained by young football players affect the cervical spine. These injuries commonly occur when the spine is forcefully compressed. Teaching your football player how to avoid this injury can prevent major problems.

When players collide during a tackle, they both feel a considerable amount of force. Dropping the head prior to impact reduces the ability of the cervical spine to absorb this force. By teaching football players to keep their heads upright and avoid helmet-on-helmet contact, you can help prevent serious neck injuries.

Chiropractic Care for Football Players

Football players of all ages can benefit from regular visits to a chiropractor. Whether your child has sustained a sports injury or not, chiropractic treatment can prevent long-term pain.

At Denver South Chiropractic, we are experts when it comes to treating sports injuries in Denver. Whether you need a pediatric chiropractor in Denver or a chiropractor for an adult, we provide the services you need. We can also help teach your child how to avoid serious injuries when engaging in football and other contact sports. To learn more or to schedule an appointment for your favorite athlete, please call 303-757-7272 now.