By knowing the causes, prevention, and treatment of sports injuries, you can help make rugby participation a positive experience for your child.

During puberty, children experience a growth spurt when bones grow more quickly than muscles and tendons, making muscles and tendons short, tight, and prone to injury. In addition, teens may also become less co-ordinated as they adjust to their physical changes, which can increase the risk of injury.

Children are less co-ordinated and have slower reaction times than adults because they are
still growing and developing

Teenagers are more susceptible to sports injuries for a variety of reasons. Children mature at different rates so a substantial difference in height and weight between children of the same age can exist. When children of the same age but varying sizes play sports together, there may be an increased risk of injury.

Some experts estimate that half of children's injuries that occur during organised sports activities are preventable.

You can help prevent sports injuries in your child by following some simple guidelines:

• Proper equipment - consider protective clothing such as mouth guards, head guards and correctly fitted boots and trainers. Protective equipment should be approved by an appropriate certifying organization
• Exercise selection - avoid exercises with a high risk factor and those not suitable for the age group
• Playing surface - Check that playing fields are not full of holes and ruts, possibly causing the child to fall. Avoid running on concrete.
• Qualified supervision - coaches, referees and weight lifting instructors should have up to date qualifications
• Make sure that children are matched according to their skill level, size, and physical maturity.
• Over training and playing can be a trap - if a child enjoys playing so much, he or she may volunteer for too many activities
• Warm-up and cool down principles apply to children as much as they do to adults

You wouldn't send a child who can't swim to a swimming pool, so you shouldn't send a child
to play rugby if he or she is unprepared to play.

Make sure the child has been adequately prepared (with warm-ups and training sessions) and that he knows how to play rugby. Proper preparation will help ensure that your child has fun and reduces the chances of an injury.