Teenage athletes especially those in pro sports, are likely to find themselves in play all year round. While this is great for their career, it can also expose them to injuries. It can also expose them to nutritional deficiencies, which can affect their career, as well as their daily lives later along into retirement. To help you take care your teenage athlete, here are 5 tips to helping them remain healthy for the season.
1. Tell them to report any pains immediately
For athletes, especially those in contact sports, pain can be a pointer to some more serious problem. Unfortunately teenagers being teenagers might decide to ignore pain, just to prove to their fellow athletes that they are tough. That’s why you need to talk to your teenage athlete, and help them understand the importance of reporting pain to their doctor. By doing this, you can be sure that they will stay in play all season.
2. Ensure that they get enough sleep
One of the things that contribute to injuries and other health issues among athletes is lack of sleep. To ensure that your teenage athlete remains healthy all through the season, ensure that they get enough sleep every day. Sleep allows the body to rejuvenate and repair damaged tissue. As a result, they have a less predisposition to injuries that might rule them out of play for the whole season, or for significant parts of it. If you can ensure that they get at least eight hours of sleep daily, the better for them.
3. Give them multivitamins
Vitamins give you micronutrients that you can’t get from other forms of food. They also help improve the immune system, hence keeping you healthier for longer. For your teenage athlete, a higher immune system means that they stay in play for longer during the season. That’s because they won’t have to take sick –offs that might affect their season performance. Check out this review of multivitamins for teenage athletes, and get one that best meets the needs of your teenage athlete.
4. Ensure that they stay hydrated
Taking water helps transport much needed nutrients into the blood cells and all across the body. That’s why you need to ensure that your teenage athlete stays hydrated at all times. This way, their body can absorb as much nutrients as possible. They need these nutrients, for them to stay in play all season.
5. Ensure that they rest
Like sleep, rest is a great way to have the body rejuvenate and repair damaged cells. That’s why you need to ensure that your teenage athlete gets as much rest as possible when they are not in play. Some of the ways you can help them rest by is keeping them busy with non-physical activities such as playing video games, or playing cards. By doing this, you will have played a critical role in helping your teenage athlete stay in play all season, and advance faster in their career.