General Health & Safety

A new study shows that being obese, in and of itself, makes it more likely that a child will be the victim of school bullying, increasing the risk that the child will experience depression, anxiety, and loneliness.  Steps to address bullying and obesity at the individual, school and community level are badly needed, the study says.

Ankle sprains are the most common injury in high school volleyball, and the most common acute injury. A new study, however, suggests that volleyball players who wear ankle braces can reduce the risk of first-time ankle sprains, with rigid or semi-rigid braces more effective for girls.

The  "Suntelligence: How Sun Smart is Your City?" survey polled more than 7,000 adults nationwide to determine their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors toward tanning, sun protection and skin cancer detection. The results showed that, while most people are concerned about skin cancer, they still need to modify their attitudes, behavior and knowledge in order to Be Sun Smart®.

STOP Sports Injuries campaign announced to help educate athletes, parents, trainers, coaches and healthcare providers about the rapid increase in youth sports injuries, the necessary steps to help reverse the trend and the need to keep young athletes healthy.

No matter the sport, maximizing performance and minimizing injury risk comes from lengthening muscles to produce the most mechanically efficient and productive motion. 

Most people know that eating disorders can be life-threatening.  What most people don't know is that eating disorders cause more deaths annually than all other mental and emotional health conditions combined.  That's why the Chicago-based Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center and the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) have designated the week of February 21 to 27, 2010 as National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. 

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF), more than 200 health, conservation, youth, and other organizations, and 16,300 Americans are urging the new surgeon general, Dr. Regina Benjamin, to make time outdoors a childhood health priority and to promote the benefits to children who engage in regular unstructured outdoor play in their backyards, at local parks, or any green space that offers the opportunity to connect with nature.  NWF is urging parents to take the 2010 Be Out There pledge to spend more time outdoors this year.

A first aid kit in the car and medicine cabinet are musts for parents with children playing sports.

As part of an ongoing effort to reduce the catastrophic injuries and illnesses in youth sports, the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) convened a summit of an alliance of 29 other leading health care and sports organizations in Sacramento, California to raise awareness about youth sports safety and promote legislation to improve health care for young athletes.

Unless your child has been to physical therapy for an injury before, you may not know what to think or expect as a parent. Here's some advice for parents from a physical therapist to make the rehabilitation process as smooth as possible and keep what's important in perspective.