More Children Are Being Injured in Gym Class
Gym class injuries are up 150% according to this article. In 1997 there were about 24,000 annual injuries from PE class. In 2007, it was up to 62,000.
More than ever we've seen a increased effort to get children to exercise. In lieu of obesity numbers in children, schools have focused more on providing phys ed and pushing children into gym classes. But, the principal investigator at the Center for Injury Research and Policy did not think it was because more children are participating in gym class and PE.
The research states the following:
• 98% of children taken to ER for injuries were seen and released
• 75% of children who were hospitalized for injuries were boys
• 70% of injuries happened during running, basketball, football, soccer, or gymnastics
• Boys were more likely to have injuries on the head
• Girls were more likely to have strains and sprains in to the legs and be injured during individual activities
• 52% of injuries occurred among middle-schoolers
Researchers believe that more research needs to be done on injury-prevention techniques. Most believe that these increased injuries come from the fact that young children are being taught sports instead of basic training in movement or body awareness.
Children should be trained early (ages 2-3) in gymnastics, dance or martial arts to learn to move correctly and prepare them later in childhood. Between 4-8 don't worry about sports. Sports should be considered secondary to movement. Controlling balance and center of gravity are more important to teach young children so they are better able to play sports later in life and participate in gym safely. Doctors also suggest that children play multiple sports instead of just one - because children who grow up playing multi-sports are more resistant to injury because they are used to different movement patterns.
What do you think?
More than ever we've seen a increased effort to get children to exercise. In lieu of obesity numbers in children, schools have focused more on providing phys ed and pushing children into gym classes. But, the principal investigator at the Center for Injury Research and Policy did not think it was because more children are participating in gym class and PE.
The research states the following:
• 98% of children taken to ER for injuries were seen and released
• 75% of children who were hospitalized for injuries were boys
• 70% of injuries happened during running, basketball, football, soccer, or gymnastics
• Boys were more likely to have injuries on the head
• Girls were more likely to have strains and sprains in to the legs and be injured during individual activities
• 52% of injuries occurred among middle-schoolers
Researchers believe that more research needs to be done on injury-prevention techniques. Most believe that these increased injuries come from the fact that young children are being taught sports instead of basic training in movement or body awareness.
Children should be trained early (ages 2-3) in gymnastics, dance or martial arts to learn to move correctly and prepare them later in childhood. Between 4-8 don't worry about sports. Sports should be considered secondary to movement. Controlling balance and center of gravity are more important to teach young children so they are better able to play sports later in life and participate in gym safely. Doctors also suggest that children play multiple sports instead of just one - because children who grow up playing multi-sports are more resistant to injury because they are used to different movement patterns.
What do you think?
Tags: children, education, gym, injuries, kids, parenting, physical, school, sports
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Janeen on -
I remember gym class in grade school (some 30 years ago - can't believe I can remember that far back) and lots of kids got hurt. I got hurt, a lot. I was a clumsy, un-athletic child (a little chubby too). But I remember kids that were thin and very athletic getting injured too. Even as a child I thought that some of the activities they made us do were way beyond the abilities of children our age (think extreme obstacle courses). I know our gym teacher had been in the armed forces so I kind of attributed it to that.
Due to my experience, I put my boys in gymnastics at a young age. The oldest child did really well but the youngest takes after me and naturally lacks coordination. But we are still working with him. I think balance control and helping kids get both sides of their brains communicating together properly is a wonderful thing they can do with young children in gym class. And I've seen great activities for both in my sons PT class. To me, these activities seem much better than just "kill the man" or having kids run around (as I've seen in my sons school).
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