Autumn brings beautiful fall colors, fun activities and a welcome change of the weather. Unfortunately, it also brings new risks of orthopedic dangers from everything from sports injuries to everyday accidents around the home. Climbing ladders, hanging decorations, tackles on the football field, and acrobatic moves on the soccer field all pose many risks, including strained or torn muscles and broken bones.

Overall, sports injuries usually are the major culprits when it comes to orthopedic trauma. Here are some interesting statistics:

• Since 2000 there has been a fivefold increase in the number of serious shoulder and elbow injuries among youth baseball and softball players.
• High school athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries and 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitalizations each year.
• Although 62 percent of organized sports-related injuries occur during practice, one-third of parents do not have their children take the same safety precautions at practice that they would during a game.

While not all sports injuries are completely avoidable, there are things you can do to lessen the chance of injury for you or your child while still enjoying all the fun of this season’s sports. To reduce the risk of injury:

1. Wear the right gear: For sports such as football, rugby, hockey, or soccer, wear appropriate protective great and make sure it fits correctly. This includes pads for neck, shoulder, elbow, chest, knee and shin, helmets, mouthpieces, face guards, protective cups, and eyewear.
2. Listen to your body: Stop the activity if there is pain. Take a short break to see if that helps recovery. If it doesn’t, consult with a doctor.
3. Be flexible: Strengthening exercises are great, but don’t forget to stretch as well. Stretching before and after games and practices can decrease potential for injuries. Even if you’re not playing sports, stretching should be incorporated into a daily fitness plan.
4. Rest: Be sure to schedule at least 1 day off per week to allow your body time to recover from strenuous activities or training.

When accidents do happen, the first symptoms of an orthopedic injury can include immediate severe pain, swelling, bruising, tenderness to touch, and in some cases a visual deformity. If you see an abnormal coloring in the fingers, overall numbness, deformities and extreme pain you should contact your doctor immediately.

Reference sources

_{JS Powell, KD Barber Foss, 1999. Injury patterns in selected high school sports: a review of the 1995-1997 seasons. J Athl Train. 34: 277-84.}

_{Safe Kids USA Campaign Web site. 2009.}

_{Preserving the Future of Sport: From Prevention to Treatment of Youth Overuse Sports Injuries. AOSSM 2009 Annual Meeting Pre-Conference Program. Keystone, Colorado.}