Strong Muscles, Improved Balance: Key to Avoiding Childhood Sports Injuries
Diane Rumbaugh
Friday, September 26, 2008

Bo Bloom (right) focuses on strengthening his core to improve balance and stability.

To help prevent injuries in children, Fitness Together (330 Via las Brisas, Newbury Park) has developed a children's fitness program designed to build strong muscles and improve stability and balance.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), about 3.5 million children age 14 and under are injured each year playing sports or participating in recreational activities. Soccer, basketball, football, baseball and softball were the leading sporting activities that caused the greatest number of injuries in children.

"Developing a strong core is the key to preventing youth sports injuries. All movement begins at the core", says Kathy Zetterberg, CPT, PES CES, owner of Fitness Together. "Kids tend to fling their arms and legs when participating in a physical activity. A strong core improves stability and body awareness, which naturally results in better balance. Usually, kids will land wrong or land on an unstable environment and tear a ligament or worse. Most injuries during organized sports are non-contact related and occur during practice. With appropriate training, coordination and muscle strength improves so these types of injuries can be avoided."

In the mid 1960s, many doctors thought children who participated in strength training would damage their growth plates. "That was proven not to be true," says Zetterberg. "With the proper supervision, kids can benefit from the kind of exercises that builds strong muscles. Strong muscles do not mean larger muscles," notes Zetterberg. "People often confuse strength training with body building. They are completely different. Until kids reach puberty they dont have enough hormones to make sizeable gains in muscle mass.

Fitness Together's youth program alternates between high and low intensity exercises to keep kids moving and having fun. "The best types of exercises are the ones that duplicate everyday activities," says Zetterberg. "That way, when they repeat these movements on the court or playing field, the muscles are already conditioned to respond."

Fitness together uses a functional trainer, resistance tubing, free weights, medicine balls, wobble boards, an agility ladder, slide boards and jump ropes in the program. "We keep the kids guessing, moving from one exercise to the next," says Zetterberg.

Zetterberg recommends starting kids in a muscle-building program at around 10 years of age. "They usually have the attention and interest by then," she says.

For more information or arrange a free session and fitness evaluation, contact Fitness Together at 805-375-6200 or visit http://www.ftdosvientosranch.com. Fitness Together is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 pm and Saturday 6 am to 3pm by appointment only. All appointments are one-on-one with a certified personal trainer in a private training suite.