Proud partners of South Metro Junior Football League

One of the most important is concussion safety. Knocks happen. Signs of concussion can be missed if you’re not sure what to look for.

Learn about concussion to manage your child’s injury and keep them safe after an incident.

• A concussion is a type of head injury that causes the brain to move around inside the skull.
• Symptoms of concussion include headache, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, blurred vision or sensitivity to light, fatigue and low energy.
• Other symptoms can also be present including difficulty concentrating, memory issues, irritability and changes in sleep patterns.
• If you suspect your child has a concussion, it’s crucial to monitor them – symptoms may not appear for several hours or even days.
• If you notice any symptoms, it’s important to seek out a medical professional.
• Call an ambulance immediately if your child has weakness or tingling in multiple limbs, repeated vomiting, loss of vision, seizures, or increases confusion and cognitive issues.

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Learn about knee injuries and what parents should be looking out for with Cabrini orthopaedic surgeon Dr Brian Loh.

• We’re still trying to work out why, but most knee injuries happen in adolescence.
• It can be difficult to immediately tell if a knee injury is serious or ‘just a knock’, but most ligament injuries result in swelling and a stiff knee within four hours.
• Most kids will try and walk off the injury, but if they report that the knee feels wobbly, jelly-like or that it might give way then they should stop play immediately to prevent further damage.
• Preliminary data suggests that the design of footy boots may be associated with an increased incidence of ACL injuries, but evidence shows that injuries are generally fatigue related.
• Using the interchange bench and rotating players can help alleviate this.
• Dr Loh recommends parents listen to and closely observe signs of stress that their child might be trying to conceal so they can return to the field.
• And if they refuse to return or are too afraid to put weight on the affected leg, seek care immediately.

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Here are some tips on how to make sure you’re performing at your best every weekend.

• Without a proper warm-up your injury risk increases. Start with some dynamic stretches, agility drills and practice game-specific movements.
• Dynamic warm-ups help get your body and mind ready for exercise. They work best when done shortly before the game and should last around 10 minutes.
• Examples include leg swings, sprints, stutter steps and kicking the ball.
• By loosening muscles and increasing mobility, dynamic warm-ups prepare you for the demands of the game and reduce injuries like muscles strains.
• When the final whistle blows it’s time for a cool-down!
• Do some light jogging and static stretching to slow your body down and catch your breath.

Cooling down helps with recovery and reduces muscles soreness by increasing blood flow and removing lactic acid buildup.

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Here are some tips for looking after your mind and body.

• Nutrition is a vital part of sports performance. Eating a balanced diet helps growth and recovery. Aim for a diet that consists of 45-64% carbohydrates, 10-30% protein and 25-35% fat.
• The timing of when you eat can also improve game-day performance. Eat a meal around three hours before exercise and 1-2 hours after to increase energy and support recovery.
• Healthy recovery snacks include nut butters, lean meats, eggs, hummus with vegetable sticks and yoghurt.
• Sleep also plays an important role in performance and recovery. Young athletes should get 8-9 hours of sleep a night.
• Improve sleep quality by limiting screen time before bed – poor sleep can impair muscle strength, energy levels and increase the risk of injury.
• Studies suggest that success in sport could be 20-30% physical and 70-80% mental, meaning mindfulness can play a key role in performance.
• Activities like meditation, positive self-talk, journalling, yoga and goal setting can increase the mental skills and resilience needed in sport.

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