It’s been said that preventative health starts with getting kids moving. I believe this to be true and I know it’s way harder to start being active when you’re older rather than have a habit of activity from a young age.
Some scary stats about kids:
Up to 10% of US children now have fatty liver disease, a condition linked to obesity and lack of exercise that was practically nonexistent among kids before 2000.
If 63% of kids played sports regularly, we would have 2.3M fewer overweight and obese youth by 2030, saving $57B in direct medical costs and productivity.
Only 4% of elementary schools, 7% of middle schools, and 2% of high schools require daily PE classes throughout the year, and 22% have no PE.
Wow!
Now, of the kids who play sports, injury rates are rising. This is something we have seen firsthand. And I know that Jaime Loomis, Doctor of PT, has shared this with us, too.
Many of the injury issues stem from kids specializing in a sport and getting overuse injuries. ACL surgeries are more common than they should be. Imagine doing the same movements over and over without a training program to balance you out.
We’ve seen kids come to our teens class that are complete badasses in their sport, yet cannot properly squat, hinge, etc.
While coaches may be excellent at coaching the sport, many lack the knowledge of training protocols that will add balance to the student athlete’s regimen.
If you are a parent whose kids are active - props to you! But, please make sure your kids also get the proper training to avoid injury.
If you are a parent with a sedentary kid, it’s not too late! While forcing a child to do something probably won’t work (I am assuming this as a non-parent, but I was a kid once!), introducing them to new activities may.
Now this is where I make a shameless plug for our Teens Class. Workouts in our Teen program mirror what our adults do - I.e. it’s a complete program, led by coaches who want to see your kids get stronger, move better and avoid injury.
If you have a kid aged 12+ or know someone who does - whether they play a sport or not - this class is an excellent option. I’ve witnessed both student athletes and non-athletes enroll and lose weight, build confidence and strength. It’s really amazing to see.
