PCA Colorado Update Brought to You by Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children

Adams 12 School District Continues Strong Partnership with PCA

Adams 12 School District has made PCA a core element of its high school athletic programs. Since 2013, the district has partnered with PCA on a variety of coach, athlete, parent and leadership trainings.  Leaders such as Marty Tonjes, Horizon High School Athletic Director, are committed to the PCA frameworks and credit the long-term PCA partnership commitment with helping their schools build participation, increase retention and their overall competitiveness.

Back to School Means Back to Sports: Injury Prevention Tips for Youth Athletes

Dr. Rachel Brewer is a Sports Medicine Specialist at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver, CO. She is a proud member of the PCA leadership council. Below is an excerpt from a blog post authored by Dr. Brewer. 

Participation in sports comes with a risk of injury. Injuries can be traumatic in nature or due to overuse. However, there are some general guidelines you can follow to keep young athletes healthy. 

  • Don’t over-train. Overtraining often presents as fatigue, pain or disinterest in the sport. Make sure your athlete has built in rest days in the weeks of scheduled sports activities and listen if they complain of pain or fatigue.
  • Strengthen muscles. Doing core strengthening, resistance exercises, and stretching consistently can help prevent overuse injuries.
  • Have the right gear. Having appropriate equipment such as pads, helmets, mouthguards, etc. can help prevent injuries. 
  • Focus on the right techniques. Having guidance from trained coaches or parents can help prevent inaccurate technique decreasing the risk of overuse injuries. 
  • Don’t let your athlete play through pain. Listen to your athlete if they complain of pain.
  • Appropriate nutrition/rest. Adequate nutrition and sleep is key for allowing your athlete to recover.

For more information or to find a provider visit rockymountainhospitalforchildren.com