Potential Magazine May 2014 | Page 23

ASK EXPERT THE Q: Robert Kohn, a physical therapist and Vice President with Rehab Associates in Montgomery, shed some additional light on the importance of proper rest and training for preventing injuries. Why is it important that a student athlete take breaks from their sport when it comes to preventing injury? Taking a break from a sport allows an athlete to not only take a physical break from the sport but also a psychological and emotional break as well.  Very often, kids can have “burnout” if they focus too much on one sport. Focusing too much on one sport or activity affects the body in many ways including muscle breakdown, altered mood and also deceased performance.  If you play multiple sports, your body can rest on the repetitive activity that one sport provides while it performs different actions that focus on different physical demands.   Q: Explain the importance of age-appropriate, gender-appropriate and even sport-specific training when it comes to injury prevention. When you focus on sport-specific activity, you are training the body to perform at the levels that will be expected during games/ practices. If you are training the body in a totally different way than it is expected to work, then the body will not be “ready” to perform at full speeds. If the body is not trained properly, the body will not be prepared to protect itself during high impact activity or long duration activity. If the muscles and neurological systems of the body are “prepared,” then it will help protect against overuse/chronic injuries as well as the acute fractures and ligament tears.   Q: What is your advice to parents of student athletes who are worried about repetitive injuries? If you are worried about chronic or overuse injuries, prevention is the ultimate goal. Kids need to learn how to protect themselves against injury by properly warming up and also properly training their bodies to be prepared for the sport specific activity. There are many certified strength and conditioning professionals in the area that can help with this. We have several at Rehab Associates that can provide this one-on-one training for athletes and who have been successful in not only preventing injury but also increasing performance.  again,” he said. This rest and strength-training approach can help limit repetitive injuries. Resting is essential for young athletes’ development. But so is proper training. Fuller advises parents to look for a training facility that has professional instructors. “Find someone who is trained in multiple sports and has knowledge of the positions the athlete plays. Find a trainer/ coach that cares more about the child than how much money they are making off the family,” he said. Basically, find someone who’s credible, knowledgeable and has a good reputation. Stay aware of what your teen is doing. “Don’t let your child overwork their body, and be involved with the personal development as they train and practice,” Fuller said. “ “ Don’t let your child overwork their body, and be involved with the personal development as they train and practice. - MARK FULLER / sports trainer and former Auburn University pitching coach When it comes to travel sports, and how their rigorous schedules can affect the whole family, Fuller shared this perspective. “Parents need to make a decision that is best for the entire family, not just one member,” he said. “The mental/physical difficulty and family stress is real, so I hope families will be wise before saying ‘yes’ to a travel team.” Making good grades and playing as many sports as possible will enhance your child’s scholarship opportunities, but having an off-season for rest and the right training are equally important. www.potentialmagazine.com 23