3 Tips To Prevent Your Child From Breaking His Or Her Bones

Remaining active is a crucial component of your child's overall healthy. While playing outdoors and participating in team sports can be incredibly beneficial for your child, there are certain risks associated with them, including bumps, trips, and falls. Luckily, it is possible to reduce the chances of serious injuries like broken bones. Here are three different preventative measures that can be taken to help keep your child safe.

Educate Your Child on the Proper Way to Fall

One of the things that is instilled in you as a child is to get back up when you fall. However, one thing that many children are not taught is how to fall in a way that prevents bones from breaking. Your initial instinct is to put your arms straight out to break your fall, but you should instead teach your child to fall down onto their forearms. In doing so, they reduce the risk of breaking their wrists or elbows. In order to protect their legs, children should keep their knees bent and chins tucked. Whenever possible, children should try to land on sturdy, fleshy parts of the body like the back or buttocks.

Build Bone Strength

The key to preventing fractures and breaks all starts with building strong, healthy tissue. As your child develops, make certain that he or she is receiving plenty of vitamin D and calcium, since these are the two main nutrients that have been proven to boost bone healthy. These nutrients can be located in most dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt, as well as nuts, spinach, and collard greens. Speak to your child's doctor about the recommended dose of each vitamin based on his or her age, weight, and height.

Make Use of Protective Gear

If your child is partaking in any kind of sport, it is imperative that he or she wears the proper protective gear. When appropriate, your child should wear a helmet, in addition to knee and elbow pads, shin guards, and wrist braces. In doing so, your child will be at less risk of suffering a fracture or broken bone. This type of protective gear is important for activities outside of sports, too, such as roller blading, riding a bike, etc.

In the event that your child does suffer a fracture or broken bone, it is imperative that you contact an orthopedic surgeon in your area for a customized treatment and recovery plan.