Experts explore youth football safety
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CHARLOTTE -- Sports-related deaths aren't common, but when they do happen, they raise questions about safety measures.
Last week, a Lincoln County eighth grader died from injuries he sustained during a football game. Some experts say more can be done to keep the youngest players safe.
“Youth football's not getting as much attention as of course high school and college football and they probably need more, more emergency care than they are getting at the present time,” said Dr. Frederick O. Mueller, director of the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research.
Mueller collects and analyzes data on sport injuries across the country. He said younger athletes aren't hurt as often as their older counterparts, but are at risk.
Some football leagues, like Pop Warner, require medical experts on the field for games and practices but not all do.
“Every once in a while you get a more serious injury at that level so I think it's important to have some kind of emergency care available,” said Mueller.
Some football leagues, like Pop Warner, require medical experts on the field for games and practices but not all do.
Some other expert recommendations for maximum safety on the football field include providing properly fitting helmets and equipment, teaching proper tackling and blocking techniques and requiring preseason physicals to screen for health problems.
“Strength training helps all parts of the body for all types of injuries but it also may help for neck injuries. Strengthening neck muscles in the neck because some, or a number of catastrophic injuries are related to the neck muscles,” Mueller added.
Adam Riddle, who works with many athletes for strength and agility training at the Athletic Republic of Charlotte, says it’s important to strengthen each individual joint so it can be more flexible and more prepared to make sudden movements.
Riddle works with all kind of athletes and knows football isn't the only sport where kids are hurt.
“Regardless of sport, injury can happen at any time,” he said.
Equipment used in youth football, through school or community programs, is usually handed down year after year. However, each season, the helmets are sent off to be refurbished and they have to meet a helmet safety standard put in effect in 1978. Each helmet should have a sticker on it showing it meets the standard.