Young sports players urged to take care after 120 kids hurt in just ONE day last weekend

Young sport players are being urged to bend and stretch before hitting the field after NSW paramedics treated more than 120 children in just one day last weekend.

Charli Richards, 9, Chiara Radalj, 9, and Ava Maguire 10

Young sport players are being urged to bend and stretch before hitting the field after NSW paramedics treated more than 120 children in just one day last weekend.

From broken bones to concussion and suspected spinal injuries, the NSW Ambulance said it was called out to 124 incidents on the state’s sporting fields last Saturday.

“Injuries do generally increase at this time of year as we see the start of the contact sports season,” NSW Ambulance trauma clinical manager Colin Deans said.

“But it is still a worrying number for just one day.”

Each weekend sports fields across NSW are filled with little feet as more than 500,000 children compete in organised sport.

Mr Deans said many of last weekend’s injuries could have been prevented with a warm-up and warm-down.

“Even little players need to warm-up sufficiently before a game, hydrate throughout, and cool down afterwards,” Mr Deans said.

There were 56 call-outs in Sydney alone, including several fractured collarbones, dislocated shoulders, broken limbs and five cases that involved loss of consciousness.

The youngest patient was a seven-year-old boy with a suspected broken arm.

“Sometimes it can be a case that kids and parents don’t see the potential injury in organised sport and treat sport like just a bit of fun,” Mr Deans said. “But children should prepare for games in the same way adults do by warming up.”

Sport and exercise physician at the Sydney Sport Medicine Centre in Homebush, Dr Donald Kuah, said possible injuries should not deter parents from getting their kids involved in sport.

“Any injury to a child is a concern, but with proper preparation, such as warming up before a game, training and having the correct equipment, you minimise the risk,” Dr Kuah said.

Nine-year-old netballer Chiara Radalj of North Manly suffered nerve damage in her leg and was on crutches for a week. Her physio ascribed it to Chiara not warming up enough.