SPORTS SAFETY
A Southlake Orthopaedics doctor discusses how to keep student athletes healthy, safe
BY LAUREN DOWDLE Sports are a way of life for many in the South, especially in the state of Alabama. From high school football games on Friday nights all the way down to Little League baseball, children and families enjoy playing and watching all of their favorite sports. An important part of any game or sport is safety, especially now that everyone has to factor in COVID and its new precautions. While injuries and sickness are always possible when playing sports, there are ways student athletes can reduce their chances of having them. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says about half of all youth sports injuries are preventable, so it’s important for students, parents, and coaches to do what they can to ensure the safest playing conditions. Working to keep students safe on and off of the field is Dr. Richard “Beau” Grantier III. Grantier specializes in sports and emergency medicine at Southlake Orthopaedics at their Grandview Medical Center location. Grantier grew up in Mississippi playing just about every sport, including football, basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, golf, and track. “I love all sports,” he said. “I still try to play pick-up sports when possible.” After having several orthopedic and nonorthopedic sports-related injuries himself, he knew he wanted to go into a field where he could take care of patients with similar injuries. In their practice, Grantier sees student athletes from a variety of sports including soccer, basketball, cheerleading, gymnastics, baseball, and football — along with nonathlete patients. Some of the most common injuries he sees with student athletes include acute fractures, muscle or tendon sprains, and overuse injuries. Grantier also works on the sidelines with athletic trainers for Evangel Christian School in Alabaster during football games. He manages emergency and orthopedic care, as well as offering triage and initial exams to players. Before students take the field, he recommends they get a pre-participation (sports exam) from 32 Bham Family October 2020
their pediatrician or primary care provider. “Exams are useful to make sure the patient is ready to play the sports,” he says. Before playing or practicing, students should do a dynamic warm up as a team and on their own. Warming up helps their muscles become more flexible and efficient, and slowly raising their heart rate helps minimize stress on their heart. It’s also important for students who haven’t played in a while to steadily increase the duration, intensity, and frequency of their playtime before the first game. “A gradual approach is very important,” Grantier says. With schools and sports group shutting down last spring due to COVID, many students went months without playing anything. So, it’s good for them to take time to transition back into their workouts and sports. While there are still concerns for their safety, there are also several benefits for getting them back on the field if both the student and their parents think it’s safe. “Reengaging in sports is good for kids socially and physically, and it teaches them teamwork,” Grantier says. As students start playing sports again, they have to consider new safety precautions and regulations put in place during the pandemic. Social-distancing best practice are just as important in sports as they are during everyday life. Students should maintain 6 feet of distance when possible, wear masks when they can, wash their hands regularly, answer COVID-screening questions, and have frequent temperature checks. Prolonged, close contact with an infected person is the main driver of transmission, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics
