The backpacks are packed. The new shoes are ready. The school supplies are somehow already missing. It must be back-to-school season!
September brings a fresh routine, new activities, gym classes, school sports, and plenty of time spent running with friends. For many students, it also means going from a relaxed summer schedule to a much busier routine almost overnight.
The sudden increase in activity can sometimes lead to aches, strains, sprains, and other injuries. The good news? A few simple injury-prevention habits can help students ease back into their routines and stay active. And if an injury does happen, physiotherapy can be one option for assessment and rehabilitation.
7 Back-to-School Injury Prevention Tips
1. Don't Go From 0 to 100
One of the biggest changes in September is the sudden increase in activity.
A student who hasn't played much soccer all summer may suddenly have three practices and a game in the same week. Someone who hasn't been running may suddenly join cross-country. Your body may need some time to adjust>
Try increasing activity gradually.
Start with manageable amounts of training and build up over time rather than immediately jumping into your full schedule.
2. Warm Up Before Sports
Before jumping into a practice or game, spend a few minutes getting your body moving. A warm up might include:
- Light jogging
- Walking
- Dynamic movements
- Sport specific movements
- Gradually increasing the intensity of activity
3. Strengthen for the Activities You Enjoy
Strength isn't just for professional athletes. Age appropriate strengthening can help students prepare for the physical demands of their activities. Depending on the sport, exercises might focus on areas such as:
Legs, hips, core, shoulders, arms, balance and coordination.
A well rounded exercise routine can also make physical activity more enjoyable and provide variety throughout the week.
4. Give Your Body Time to Recover
More isn't always better. School, homework, sports, part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, and social activities can make September surprisingly busy. Recovery is important too. Make time for:
Sleep, rest, regular meals and hydration, lower-intensity days and breaks from repetitive activities.
If you're constanly adding more activity without giving yourself time to recover, your body may start letting you know... usually with an extremely inconvenient ache.
5. Don't Ignore Pain
A little soreness after trying something new can happen. But persistent or worsening pain shouldn't simply be ignored. Pay attention if pain:
- Continues for several days
- Keeps returning
- Gets worse with activity
- Changes the way you move
- Prevents you from participating in sports
- Interferes with school or everyday activities
Getting an injury assessed can help determine what may be contributing to the symptoms and what the appropriate next steps are.
6. Take Care of That Backpack
The backpack might be the most important piece of equipment students use every day. A few simple habits can make carrying it more comfortable:
Use both shoulder straps. Carrying a backpack ove one shoulder can place uneven loads through the body.
Adjust the straps. The backpack should sit comfortably against the body rather than hanging excessively low.
Pack only what you need. If you're carrying enough textbooks to qualify for a small libary, it may be time to clean it out.
Keep heavier items closer to your body. This can make the backpack feel more manageable.
7. Keep Moving During Long Study Sessions
Students can spend hours sitting in classrooms, studying, doing homework, or using computers. You don't need to finf one "perfect" sitting position and stay there all day. Instead, change positions regularly.
Try:
- Standing up
- Walking around
- Stretching
- Changing sitting position
- Taking short movement breaks
Common Injuries Students May Experience
Even with good injury prevention habits, injuries can still happen. Students participating in sports and physical activities may experience problems such as:
Ankle Sprains
An awkward landing, sudden change of direction, or accidental step on another player's foot can result in an ankle sprain. Rehabilitation may involve gradually working on mobility, strength, balance, coordination, and sport specific movements.
Knee Pain
Running, jumping, squatting, and changing direction can place significant demands on the knees. Knee discomfort can have may possible factors, including changes in activity, training volume, strength, mobility, and movement demands. Persistent knee pain should be assessed rather than simply pushed through.
Muscle Strains
Sudden increases in activity or high-intensity movements can sometimes contribute to muscle strains. A gradual return to activity and appropriate rehabilitation can help someone work toward resuming their normal activities.
Back and Neck Discomfort
Long periods of sitting, studying, carrying a backpack, and spending tim on computers or devices may contribute to neck or back discomfort. Regular movement breaks and changing positions throughout the day can be useful habits.
Overuse Injuries
Not every inury happens during one dramatic moment. Sometimes symptoms gradually develop when a particular activity is repeated frequently without enough time for the body to adapt. Examples can include running-related pain, tendon-related pain, and some shoulder or knee problems. This is another reason to gradually increase activity and pay attention to persistent symptoms.
What About School Sports?
School sports are a great way to stay active, have fun, and spend time with friends. The key is to prepare for the demands of the activity. Before the season begins, consider:
Have I gradually increased my activity?
Am I getting enough recovery?
Am I working on strength?
Am I warming up before practices and games?
Am I paying attention to pain or changes in how I move?
You don't need to be a professional athlete to benefit from good training habits. Consistency matters more than trying to do everything at once.
How Can Physiotherapy Help?
Sometimes an injury happens despite everyone's best efforts. That's where physiotherapy may become part of the picture. A physiotherapist can assess many musculoskeletal and sport-related concerns and help develop an individualized rehabilitation plan.
Depending on the person's needs, physiotherapy may involve:
Exercise, strengthening, mobility work, balance and coordination exercises, education, activity modification, sport specific rehabilitation and gradual return to activity planning.
The appropriate approach depends on the individual, their symptoms, their activities, and the findings of their assessment. For students in Ottawa dealing with a sport injury or musculoskeletal concern, physiotherapy may be an option to consider.
Back-to-School Injury Prevention FAQ
What are the most common school-related injuries?
Students may experience a variety of injuries depending on their age and activities. COmmon concerns can include ankle sprains, muscle strains, knee pain, back pain, neck discomfort, and overuse injuries. Sport participation can also increase the likelihood of certain musculoskeletal injuries.
How can students prevent sport injuries?
There is no way to completely eliminate the possibility of an injury. However, students can develop habits that support participation, including gradually increasing activity, warming up, building appropriate strength, allowing time for recovery, and paying attention to persistent pain.
Should kids stretch before sports?
Stretching isn't necessarily the only component of preparing for physical activity. A warm-up that gradually increases activity intensity and includes dynamic, activity specific movements can be useful before sports. The appropriate warm up can vary depending on the activity and individual.
How can I prevent backpack-related discomfort?
Use both shoulder straps, adjust the backpack so it sits comfortably against the body, avoid carrying unnecessary items, and organize heavier items closer to the body. If a student experiences presistent back, neck, or shoulder pain, an assessment may be appropriate.
How much exercise should my child do?
The appropriate amount of activity varies based on age, development, fitness, health, interests, and type of activity. Rathen than suddenly increasing activity dramatically at the beginning of the school year, consider building activity gradually and allowing appropriate recovery.
When should a student see a physiotherapist?
A physiotherapy assessment may be worth considering when pain is persistent, worsening, repeatedly returning, affecting sports participation, changing movement, or interfering with school or everyday activities. A physiotherapist can assess the concern and determine whether physiotherapy is appropriate.
Can physiotherapy help prevent injuries?
Physiotherapy may include education, strengthening, mobility exercises, balance training, movement strategies, and activity-specific rehabilitation. These approaches can be used to support physical activity and rehabilitation, although no treatment or exercise program can guarantee that an injury will be prevented.
Can students see a physiotherapist even if they aren't athletes?
Yes. Physiotherapy isn't only for competitive athletes. Students may seek physiotherapy for musculoskeletal concerns that affect school, exercise, recreation, work, or everyday activities.
Keep Moving This School Year
A new school year brings new activities, new routines, and plenty of opportunities to stay active. The best injury-prevention strategy isn't avoiding activity, it's being prepared for it.
Build up gradually, warm up, get stronger, recover, keep moving, and listen to your body. And if pain or an injury starts getting in the way of school, sports, or everyday life, consider speaking with a qualified health care professional about your options.
Looking for physiotherapy in Ottawa?
Premier Physiotherapy Clinic provides physiotherapy services for a variety of musculoskeletal and sports-related concerns.
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