New study reveals preventable injuries sideline many young athletes A new study released today by Safe Kids Worldwide shows that two in five (40%) parents report that their young athletes have sustained injuries while playing team sports. Additionally, one in three parents (32%) reported that their kids have had injuries severe enough to require medical treatment. The report, Coaching Our Kids to Fewer Injuries: A Report on Youth Sport Safety, made possible by Johnson & Johnson, also shows that misperceptions and uninformed behaviors commonly result in overuse injuries, dehydration and concussions.
The release of the report coincides with National Safe Kids Week (April 21-28), when Safe Kids Worldwide and its coalitions and chapters across the U.S. conduct educational and awareness activities to help parents and coaches better understand the simple steps they can take to help young athletes avoid getting hurt.
Kate Carr, President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide, will be available to discuss the study findings and educational tips. These tips can help parents, caregivers and coaches better understand that most injuries are preventable and what simple steps they can take to help keep their young athletes safe. Topics include:
• Conditioning
• Overuse Injury Prevention
• Advance Planning
• Concussion Awareness
• Hydration
• Equipment
• Safety Training
For more information, please visit safekids.org
About Kate Carr, President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide
Kate Carr serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Safe Kids Worldwide. Kate’s political experience includes serving as Special Assistant to the President, Office of Public Liaison at the White House and working on multiple local, state and national campaigns.
About the study
Safe Kids Worldwide commissioned Salter Mitchell to conduct youth sports safety polls among coaches, parents, and children in the United States to guide its programmatic, advocacy and communications efforts. In February 2012, Harris Interactive’s Youth Omnibus online survey collected data on 516 kids aged 8 to 18 who played a variety of sports. In March 2012, data from 750 parents and 752 coaches were collected through an online survey fielded by Survey Sampling International
About Safe Kids Worldwide
Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations with the mission to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. to children ages 1 to 14. Twenty-two member countries and more than 600 coalitions and chapters across the U.S. bring together health and safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, governments and volunteers to educate and protect families.
