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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next >> With that in mind, parents should look for a coach with a good understanding of how the body functions and how a sport affects that function, McKeag said.
"Proper biomechanics is the way to staying injury-free, really, for any sport," he said. "The idea is to not throw 200 balls at a time, but to learn the mechanics of how to throw the ball correctly."
Coaches who drive kids relentlessly can cause overuse injuries like Little League shoulder and Little League elbow, two types of injury that dog young ball players Bergeron said.
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"A parent needs to be mindful of, 'Gee, are they doing too much?' " he said. "All of the overload experiences adults have, kids are subject to as well."
Coaches also can advise parents about the proper equipment their child should have for the sport they plan to play. "That equipment might be as simple as the right shoes," Bergeron said.
McKeag said good equipment doesn't always need to be expensive. "Most gear for kids can't be marketed unless it's halfway decent," he said. "It's perfectly OK to get less-costly equipment as long as it fits well."
The fit of the equipment is extremely important, both experts say. Loose shoes can cause twisted ankles. And loose protective equipment -- like a baseball batting helmet -- can fail when your child needs it the most.
"This is not the time to buy something the child will grow into," McKeag said. "You don't want to do that. You want the gear to fit well."
Conditioning for a sport also is necessary to avoid injury, particularly for older children. This can take the form of weight training or aerobic exercise in the months leading up to the season.
"Often it's appropriate to have kids do some physical conditioning so they don't go into it 'cold,' " Bergeron said. "Especially if they have been competing at a high level, you want to make sure they're in shape for the sport."
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