Ten Golden Rules for Children's Sport

1. Always remember that children are not little adults. Never be carried away with enthusiasm. It's always wise to keep a commonsense perspective of your child's physical limits rather than expecting to be able to achieve miracle performances.

2. Children should be participating in a sport because they want to. They should not be playing because they are being pressured into it by their parents or school. If they are happy about doing a sport, they're going to be a lot less injury-prone.

3. An adequate warm-up is essential. It should be appropriate to the type of sport being undertaken. Always seek the advice of your school coach or qualified sporting instructor if in doubt. The frustration in being sidelined for weeks or months by a injury that could have been prevented.

4.  All children playing sport should have proper equipment. Possibly the most important of all equipment is the correct footwear. Good secondhand equipment is always preferable to a new item which is the wrong size, shape or is otherwise unsatisfactory.

5. Carefully check the sporting venue for hazards. This applies to a soccer or football field and cricket ground for sprinkler heads, fences, seats and other obstructions too close to the boundary or littered with loose stones, drinks or food litter.

6. Concentration is a must at all times. Your mind and your body are partners in the event. Never let anyone play or ride when they are tired, unwell or just feeling out of sorts.

7.  The first few hours following an injury are vital. That is the time to obtain the appropriate treatment to avoid serious complications. Simple commonsense and basic first aid principles, particularly when dealing with soft tissue or muscle injuries, or injuries to a joint, can significantly aid in the recovery from such an injury and also in preventing more significant secondary problems from occurring.

8. Never return to a sport too soon after an injury. Always err on the side of caution, particularly with a head injury.  This is particularly true in contact sports such as football of all codes.

9. If it’s an obvious injury, you should apply proper first aid. The best of all is RICE: rest, ice, compression, elevation. If you are still concerned about how the head, knee or shoulder injury is responding, then seek medical attention from a doctor. Do it promptly.  Your body is much more important. Take good care of it.

10.  The best accident prevention device is you. Parents should be involved. Being there can make all the difference between a cut or grazed elbow or a broken arm. So, make the time. It's one of the best investments you can possibly make.

Courtesy of Central Victorian Rehabilitation Services  - Gavin Dix - Masseur