If your child has developed a passion for playing football, you may well be going through a mixture of emotions. First, it’s great that they are into sport, what parent wouldn’t like that. You never know, they may excel at it and have a lengthy career ahead of them. However, you may also be worrying that the game is quite dangerous as well. This is a perfectly rational fear, and many parents probably feel the same way. But if you are wise you will find that there are many ways you can mitigate the danger and make it much safer for your child on the field.
Get the Right Protective Gear
Getting the best gear, that clearly fits your child is a wonderful way to make football a lot safer. Due to the violent and intense nature of the sport, a lot of safety equipment is needed, and although this may cost a fair bit, at least you will be safe in the knowledge they have the appropriate protection. This gear includes helmets, shoulder pads, pants with padding, mouth guard, football back plate, the right shoes, athletic supporter with cup, etc. Do not skimp and feel they can do without just one aspect as each item protects a particular part of the body.
See a Doctor
Before you let your child on the football field, you should make sure that they are fit and healthy enough to play. That last thing you want is to aggravate any condition they might have, including things like asthma. A doctor will be able to identify any underlying health problems such as a heart condition or some undiagnosed neurological disorder. Being forewarned is forearmed, and unfortunately and health risks may result in your child not being able to play.
Diet and Exercise
If your child is going to go out o the field and tussle, it is in your best interests to keep them as healthy as possible. The healthier they are, the better they will play. Encourage an exercise regime that is appropriate to playing football, perhaps with a mix of endurance and weight training. There are actually exercises and stretches that can help them gain inches, and height may help them out on the field. The more flexibility they have, the better. Also, encourage healthy eating, buy-in healthy products, and avoid processed and fast food. Lead by example. Start a healthy eating regime and join them in their exercise program. The fitter they are, the better they will fare out on the field. However, be sure they do not overtrain as this could have a negative effect.
Concussion Test
If you are particularly worried about a knock to the head, why not take them to have a baseline concussion test. A trained professional will conduct the test, and this information will be used if they are unlucky enough to suffer a concussion, and the doctors can work out the level and severity of the injury. As long as your child is over the age of 10, they are eligible for this test.
