More American children are competing in sports than ever before. Sports help children and adolescents keep their bodies fit and feel good about themselves. However, there are some important injury 1)...(prevent) tips that can help parents promote a safe, optimal sports experience for their child.
All sports have a risk of injury. Fortunately, for the vast majority of youth, the benefits of sports 2) ...(participate) outweigh the risks. In general, the more contact in a sport, the greater the risk of a 3) ... (trauma) injury. However, most injuries in young athletes are due to 4) ...(use).

The most frequent types of sports injuries are sprains (injuries to ligaments) strains (injuries to muscles), and stress fractures (injuries to bones). Injury occurs when 5) ... (excess) stress is placed on tendons, joints, bones and muscle. In a growing child, point 6) ... (tender)over a bone should be evaluated further by a medical provider even if there is minimal 7) ... (swell) or limitation in motion.  Contact your pediatrician if you have additional questions or concerns.

Some basic tips to keep in mind are: plan some time off from training as this will allow the body to recover. Increase 8) ... (flex) by stretching during and after excercises. Avoid heat illness by drinking plenty of fluid before, during and after exercise and wear light 9) ... (clothes)

The pressure to win can cause 10)...(sign) emotional stress for a child. Sadly, many coaches and parents consider winning the most important aspect of sports. Young athletes should be judged on effort, 11)...(sportman)and hard work. They should be rewarded for trying hard and for improving their skills rather than punished or criticized for losing a game or competition. The main goal should be to have fun and learn 12)... (life) physical activity skills.