Tips for Keeping Your Student-Athlete in Top Health

As a parent, you want to do everything you can to help prepare your child for success at school and at home. And as a parent of a student-athlete, keeping yours safe and healthy while balancing academics and other commitments can be a challenge. So what can parents of athletes do to keep their kids in winning health? Below are some great tips from our team of CaroMont Health Athletic Trainers:

Mental Preparedness

Being ready to head back into their sport’s season physically is very important, but what about their mental preparedness? As a parent, you can encourage them to create and stick with a routine that encourages good nutrition, hydration, sleep and exercise. A routine will always help solidify good behaviors but are also essential to help a student-athlete thrive.

Nutrition

Provide your student-athlete with well-balanced meals, skip fast food lines and focus on drinking plenty of water over any kind of sugary drink. Athletes need whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins spread over every meal and especially a few hours before practice or competition. This will ensure they have the energy they need to compete at the highest level.

Hydration

Most sports medicine professionals agree that water is best for pre-competition hydration and parents should encourage their student-athletes to start hydrating two to three days before any competition. Sports drinks can be incorporated during and after competition to replenish electrolytes that are needed for proper cellular function. Proper hydration is necessary for peak performance.

Strength Training

Strength training, when done correctly, is safe and important for all student-athletes. Students need to learn proper form and technique before starting a new strength training regimen and once they've perfected that technique, extra weight or resistance can be added. Parents should know that the benefits of strength training for their student-athletes go way beyond performance. It also increases self-esteem, enhances motor skills and greatly reduces the risk of sports-related injury.

Consistency

The best way to prepare for a sports season is to not have an offseason. Encourage your student-athlete to play multiple sports. This will keep them in shape and prevent overuse of the body from one specific sport. If you're worried about how to keep them engaged and in shape over the summer, keep a running schedule or better, have them join your fitness routine.

Ask Questions

Talk to your athletic trainer! Athletic trainers have extensive backgrounds in evaluating and rehabilitating emergent, acute and chronic injuries. But also, they are experts in keeping student-athletes healthy and avoiding injury. Use them as your resource for keeping your student-athlete healthy.

Still have questions regarding your child's health? A primary care provider can be your best partner in ensuring good health for your whole family. Find one here.