Synopsis: Seeing your child in pain isn’t easy, and while you may not be qualified to take care of your child’s sport injury, there are plenty of things you can do to help his recovery. As your child’s biggest fan, it’s your job to get him out on the field again.
Seeing your child in pain and unable to do the things he loves is never going to be easy. Whether he’s suffering from a sprained ankle or broken bone, you will want to make the recovery process as easy for him as possible. You probably know yourself that recovering from an injury can be tough even as an adult, so you can imagine how it much more frustrating it must be for your child! Here are a few things you can do to help your child have a better recovery:
#1: Seek professional help
Even with the smallest injury, there are things the patient can do to aid recovery. It could mean avoiding certain positions, doing regular strengthening or just keeping weight off it, but a professional is best placed to give advice. Your child’s coach may be able to help, but you could always ask your doctor for advice too. By following medical advice you could speed up recovery.
#2: Following the advice
One of the problems most patients face is that they feel recovered before they really are. As soon as your child feels able to play again, he’s going to want to get out on the field. Putting the body under stress too soon, however, could lead to even more problems. If a doctor has advised six weeks away from the game to allow for a full recovery, it’s important you stick to this. Help your child to understand the importance of letting his body heal properly, after all, another injury could see him out of the game for even longer next time!
#3: Deal with any anxiety and build confidence
If your child suffered a sports injury during a game, he might be feeling anxious about the idea of playing again. He may also be lacking in confidence, especially if he took a tumble in front of the team. Let your child speak openly and honestly about how he feels, and be careful not to dismiss his feelings. Help him overcome the feelings of anxiety by reminding him of how much he enjoys the game. When he does start playing again, make sure you’re there with plenty of compliments to help rebuild his confidence and remind him that he’s a valued part of the team.
#4: Keep up the social side
Being a part of a team isn’t just about sports, there are huge social benefits to it too. Your child’s teammates are probably some of his closest friends, and he may be feeling left out if he’s unable to play for a while. It can be tempting to lock yourself away so you don’t have to watch from the sidelines as all your friends have fun on the field, but it’s important to attend games. Your child will find it much easier to transition back into the team if he’s kept up the social aspect during his recovery. Take him along to the games, and make sure he still goes to any social events or hangouts the other kids might be having.