Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
· Wolfson Children’s Hospital is ranked among the 50 Best Children’s Hospital for Orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report.
· Wolfson Children’s Hospital and its partner, Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville, provide state-of-the-art care for children with sports injuries.
· Their specialists work together as a team to help children safely return to sports and daily activities, as well as help to prevent re-injury.
Sports Injuries
· As kids grow bigger and stronger, the potential for injury increases, largely because of the amount of force involved.
· There are three main types of sports injuries in kids and teens: Acute injuries, overuse injuries and re-injuries.
· Other than fractures, the most common sports injuries in middle and high schoolers are torn ACLs and dislocated kneecaps.
Preventing Sports Injuries
· Get a preseason or back-to-school physical.
· Always warm-up and cool-down.
· Make sure children rest between practices, games and events in order to prevent overuse injuries.
· Recognize injury and get help early.
Concussions
· Kids don’t have to be knocked out to have a concussion. A fall, a hit to the head or anything that shakes the brain inside the skull can cause the hidden injury.
· Nemours Children’s Health, Nocatee, now offers pre- and post-concussion testing.
· It is recommended all athletes who participate in sports undergo baseline screening.
· Baseline testing can be used in two ways:
-To establish a baseline of an athlete’s cognitive functioning, prior to a concussion
-As a tool in the management of concussion, whereby the baseline scores are compared to post-injury scores
· The two test results (pre- and post-concussion) provide specific and individualized information for assessment, treatment and return to play.
· If your child has an injury that isn’t getting better, Wolfson Children’s Hospital and its partner, Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville, provide comprehensive pediatric orthopedic and sports medicine services for kids and teens of all ages.
· For more information, please call 904.697.3600.