New Albany Athletic Boosters

How to Help Your Kids Beat the Heat

NABoosters — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:49:03 +0000

According to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine website, it is estimated that 240 persons die each year in the U.S. of heat illness. Heat stroke is ranked third in cause of death of high school athletes. This becomes an even greater concern in younger athletes.

“Youth and adolescent athletes sweat less, create more heat per body mass, and acclimate much slower than adults to warmer environments, putting them at greater risk for heat-related injuries in hot and humid temperatures,” states Thomas Pommering, D.O., Medical Director for Nationwide Children’s Sports Medicine.

For more information on recognizing, treating, and preventing heat illnesses during this soccer season, please visit the Nationwide Children’s Sports Medicine website: http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/help-your-kids-beat-the-heat

When the Heat is On

NABoosters — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:55:36 +0000

Although summer is quickly coming to an end, there are still many hot and humid days ahead. Those hot, humid days greatly increase the risk of heat-related illnesses in physically active children and adolescents. Heat-related illnesses are an inherent danger when exercising outdoors in the summer and include: exertional heat stroke (EHS), exertional heat exhaustion (EHE), and exertional hyponatremia. The best treatment for any illness is to prevent it from happening altogether and heat-related illnesses are no exception.

Sports Safety

NABoosters — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:34:53 +0000

Choosing to allow your child to play in sports is a very important decision for many families to make. Parents find that they run into many questions when making the decision for their child to become active. For example: when should their child start, what is the best sport for the child, what are some precautions that parents and children can take before playing sports and so on. It is important to research everything that is expected physically and emotionally of your child before they start an activity.

The answer to some of these questions and many more on can be found at Nationwide Children’s Sports Medicine website at: www.nationwidechildrens.org/sports-safety

Abuse of Drugs to Enhance Sports Performance – Winning at Any Cost

John — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 17:42:22 +0000

More and more, our society views winning as something more important than the game itself. Success in competition brings status, popularity and fame, not to mention college scholarships. Today’s athletes are looking for an advantage over the competition that will help make them winners. Unfortunately, the adolescents of today are caught up in this high stakes competition frenzy. Because of this reality, teenage use of performance enhancing drugs is growing evermore popular.

Performance enhancing drugs can be regarded in four classes: androstenedione, creatine, anabolic steroids, and ephedra alkaloids. All of these drugs are available over the counter with the exception of the anabolic steroid class. Since 1994, these nutritional supplements are no longer controlled by the FDA. As a result, there is no control over their purity, efficacy, or distribution. In fact, most of these substances market themselves to the general public as “safe” and “natural.”

For more information on Performance enhancing drugs, please visit Nationwide Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine website: http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/abuse-of-drugs-to-enhance-sports-performance-winning-at-any-cost

Kids’ Sports Injuries – The Numbers are Impressive

NABoosters — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:42:12 +0000

The picture of youth sports in America is changing. Youth athletes often begin their competitive sports careers as early as age seven, with some youth participating in organized sports activities as early as age four, if not sooner. With an estimated 25 million scholastic, and another 20 million organized community-based youth programs in the United States, the opportunity for injury is enormous.

This is why sports injuries are the second leading cause of emergency room visits for children and adolescents, and the second leading cause of injuries in school. Approximately three million youth are seen in hospital emergency rooms for sports-related injuries and another five million youth are seen by their primary care physician or a sports medicine clinic for injuries. These numbers leave out the injuries not seen by a physician.

For more information on youth sports injuries, please visit the Nationwide Children’s Sports Medicine website: http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/kids-sports-injuries-numbers-are-impressive

Don’t Forget the Rehab

John — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:37:41 +0000

Sprains and strains are a common occurrence in athletic activities. And, they do not have to be the end of the season. The most important thing is to catch the injury early and address it with proper care immediately. Rehabilitation of an injury is the most effective means of reducing an athlete’s time on the sideline. An athlete’s return to play can be sped up by days – or even weeks – simply by dedication and compliance to a structured rehabilitation program.

For more information on rehab’s impact on injuries, please visit Nationwide Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine website: http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/dont-forget-the-rehab

Strength Training for Children: Can We Do That?

NABoosters — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:09:12 +0000

Strength training has proven to be a safe and effective method of conditioning for adults. The popularity of this type of exercise has trickled down to children and adolescents as a way to improve health, fitness and sports performance. As parents, coaches and health providers, the questions that should be asked are: Is it okay for children and adolescents to be involved in strength training? And if so, what are some guidelines to ensure that it is safe, beneficial and enjoyable?

As outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Sports Medicine, when done properly, strength training has been shown to be safe and effective. That is not to say strength training is without any risk of injury, not unlike any other exercise activity.

For more information on guidelines to keep your kids safe while strength training, please visit the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine website: http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/strength-training-for-children

Winter Weather and Injuries

John — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 13:33:54 +0000

Winter is almost here, bringing with it injuries unique to cold weather sports. Two of the more common categories of injuries are those influenced by environmental conditions and accidents. Hypothermia or even frostbite occurs from prolonged exposure to cold temperatures. Younger children are more susceptible to hypothermia. Children use up energy reserves more quickly and can not maintain an even body temperature as well as adults in cold weather.

During the winter months, many teens participate in outdoor sports such as skiing and snowboarding. Statistics show head injuries and broken bones to be the two most common injuries from winter sports-both can be serious or even life threatening. Many of these injuries are preventable if some simple precautions are taken.

For more information on cold weather injuries and how to be safe this upcoming winter, please visit Nationwide Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine website: http://www.nationwidechildrens.org//winter-weather-advisory

Congratulations Eagles!

John — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 02:36:18 +0000

Congratulations to the Varsity Football team for advancing to the State Final 4. The game against last year’s state champ, Trotwood Madison, is scheduled for Friday, November 23 at 7:30pm at Piqua High School (1 Indian Trail, Piqua, OH). Game tickets are $8 if bought in advance and $10 at the gate. The Athletic Department will earn $1.20 from each pre-sale ticket. Children 6 and under are free. You can pay cash or make checks payment to New Albany Athletics.

Ticket Office Hours
Tuesday: 2-4pm in the HS Athletic Office
Wednesday: 8am-noon at the School Board Administration Office
Friday: 9-11am in the HS Athletic Office

Is Your Ankle Playing Tricks on You?

NABoosters — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:16:49 +0000

Ankle sprains happen. Athletes learn the concepts of P.R.I.C.E. (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) early in their career as a way to manage acute (recent) injuries with swelling and pain. General guidelines are that an athlete should not return fully to play until swelling has resolved, and they can perform multiple repetitions of sport-specific activities without an increase in pain or swelling. But sometimes ankle sprains keep happening, and an athlete can spend an entire season dealing with one ankle sprain after another. Athletes may call it a trick ankle; doctors call it recurrent ankle sprains. Therapists call it decreased proprioception (balance), and it is treatable.

Balance is a skill just like free throws, juggling, throwing, or any other sport skill. Just like any other skill, you can improve your balance by practicing it. In rehabilitation, proprioception is trained by strengthening the muscles surrounding the ankle, and by working the ankle’s sensors.

For more information on ankle rehabilitation, please visit Nationwide Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine website: http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/is-your-ankle-playing-tricks-on-you