School Spirit Can Boost Kids' Health

American Physical Therapy Association Promotes Participation in Team Sports

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ALEXANDRIA, VA., Aug. 28, 1996 -- Fond memories of "cannonballing" into the lake and playing sandlot baseball games with the neighborhood kids waft through our minds of summers past. Nowadays, kids are involved in more sedate activities, like browsing the Web or channel surfing the TV, as ways to pass the dog days of summer. With school bells ringing once again, however, kids need to be involved in more active pastimes than dodging detention.

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is urging children of all ages to show their school spirit by joining a team sport -- not only for its exercise benefits, but to develop healthy habits that will continue throughout their lives.

For many children, team sports like field hockey, soccer, and basketball enable them to stay physically active on a regular basis. The current trend of adolescents toward a more sedentary lifestyle could contribute to such future health problems as heart disease. And there are psychological as well as physical benefits to keeping fit. Building self-esteem and camaraderie and developing problem-solving skills in a team setting are a few of the bonuses kids receive through team sports.

Starting At An Early Age

Parents play a vital role in teaching kids, especially young children, about the importance of regular physical activity. According to the recent U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, half of all kids between 12 and 21 are not physically active on a regular basis, and daily enrollment in physical education classes has declined an astonishing 41% among high school students in the last five years. Team sports can combat the downward spiral of an increasing population of inactive kids.

"Parents need to encourage young kids to participate in sports," says physical therapist Lisa Jesberg, M.P.T., at the Atlanta Sports Medicine Center in Virginia Beach, Va. "However, when introducing them to team sports, parents should de-emphasize competition and emphasize having fun. If their first sports experience is positive, kids are more likely to pursue other physical activities throughout life. And if the first exposure is negative, they may end up choosing a sedentary lifestyle instead."

Getting The Ball Rolling

Before "Junior" takes to the field, parents should consider a few things. First, your child should have a physical exam before playing any sport to make sure there are no conditions that would preclude participation. Second, if your child has spent the summer as a couch potato or lacks physical conditioning, inform the coach. Coaches should develop training programs for their players that are tailored to the sport, the age group and the physical levels of the children. Questions regarding physical conditioning programs can be directed to your local physical therapist. Finally, you can help keep children physically conditioned by encouraging them to remain active year round, not just during the sports season.

" My family played a big role in introducing me to team sports," says Laurel Martin, a member of the 1996 U.S. Women's Olympic Field Hockey Team and coach for women's field hockey at Cape Henry Collegiate in Virginia Beach, Va. "I've always been excited about participating in sports, but they provided the extra encouragement. Now, I try to pass that knowledge to my players and their parents, so that they can play to their potential, as well as continue with healthy habits well after the season is over."

Getting In Shape

To fully enjoy a season of sports, kids need to properly condition themselves. Performing extracurricular physical activities such as bicycling or raking leaves can help kids to keep their muscles limber before donning a team uniform. Good warm-up and cool-down sessions also help growing muscles avoid injury and strain.

Sometimes, however, injury does occur. "Parents should remember that children are not small adults," explains Lisa Jesberg, M.P.T. "Because kids are more susceptible to injury, what might appear as a sprain in adults could be a fracture in a child's growth plate." No matter how small the sports injury, children should be checked out thoroughly by a physical therapist or physician.

APTA offers an activity book called "Fit Kids" that helps children learn about physical fitness through puzzles, cartoons, and stories. "Fit Teens," a magazine with fitness tips and interviews with famous teen sports figures, is also available. For a free copy of either, write to APTA, P.O. Box 37257, Washington, DC, 20013.

The American Physical Therapy Association is a national professional organization representing more than 70,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students. Its goal is to foster improvements in physical therapy education, practice, and research to enable provision of the highest quality physical therapy care to consumers.

CONTACT: Karen Pascual of Brouillard Communications, 212-210-8625; or Alexis Waters of APTA, 703-706-3215