Health Topics
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Basics
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See, Play and Learn
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Research
Resources
Summary
Playing sports can be fun, but it can also be dangerous if you are not careful. You can help prevent injuries by:
- Getting a physical to make sure you are healthy before you start playing your sport
- Wearing the right shoes, gear, and equipment
- Drinking lots of water
- Warming up and stretching
If you have already hurt yourself playing a sport, make sure you recover completely before you start up again. If possible, protect the injured part of your body with padding, a brace, or special equipment. When you do start playing again, start slowly.
Specifics
- Four Quarters of Football Helmet Safety (Consumer Product Safety Commission) - PDF Also in Spanish
- Skin Infections in Athletes (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Bicycling
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: The effect of a School Street intervention on children's active travel,...
- Article: A psychometric study of the team psychological safety scale and sport...
- Article: Exploring the relationship between cyclists' perceived unsafety, crash risk, and exposure...
- Sports Safety -- see more articles
Find an Expert
Children
-
Protective Eyewear
(National Eye Institute)
- Safety Tips: Basketball (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
-
Sports and Eye Safety: Tips for Parents and Teachers
(National Eye Institute)
Also in Spanish
-
Sports and Your Eyes
(National Eye Institute)
- Winter Safety Tips (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Sports and Exercise Safety (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Women
- Female Athlete Triad (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Older Adults
-
Exercising Outdoors: Safety Tips for Older Adults
(National Institute on Aging)
Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Back pain and sports (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- How to avoid exercise injuries (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Returning to sports after a back injury (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.