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​​​​​​​Sports safety

Sports improve social and physical well-being, but injuries happen every day. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates more than 

are treated in emergency rooms each year for sports and recreation-related injuries.

For boys, athletic cups are vital to protecting the testicles. A fast moving ball, kick or low hit in football can be the cause of an injury. Serious injuries like testicular rupture can happen when the testicle is knocked against the pelvic bone fracturing the normal covering. 

If injuries to the testicle are not seen by a health care provider right away, the boy may be at risk for losing a testicle. ​​​​​​​

Pain in the scrotum (the sac that holds the testicles) after a minor hit, should also be looked at right away in case it is testicular torsion, which is a twisting of the blood supply to the testicle.

If ignored, testicular torsion can cause permanent damage. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

No pain in the testicle should be ignored,​​​​​

these young athletes can or will often play through pain without complaint.

For boys and girls alike, playing contact sports may raise their risk for a kidney injury. 

These injuries cause pain, but may first be noticed by the child if they urinate blood (red or rust brown). Urgent evaluation is always needed, but most injuries heal with time. 

The kidney is the third
most common organ, after the spleen and liver, to be hurt as a result of blunt force trauma.

Urologic injuries in children can result from all sports, but

especially contact sports. ​​​​​​​

Most children in appropriately supervised sports are safe, but accidents do happen.

Let’s review ways to prevent sports-related injuries. ​​​​​​​

1. Warm up

2. Wear protective gear (including an athletic cup for boys)

3. Practice proper form

4. Know the rules of the game

5. Stretch and let the body cool down

Most importantly, be safe in the carpool and buckle-up. 

More serious injuries happen on the drive to and from sports than on the field.

For more information on Urologic Sports Safety, visit the Urology Care Foundation’s website: UrologyHealth.org​

UrologyHealth.org  |  FALL 2017  |  UROLOGY​​HEALTH extra