Today's physical educators are more taxed than ever before, attempting to deliver health benefits, socialization, sport and movement skills, and health education all while class sizes are expanding and resources are dwindling. A potential mode of exercise that promises health benefits while leaving time for other student learning outcomes is…

This article discusses the Concussion in Sport Group's (CISG) new consensus statement from 2017 pertaining to symptom-limited physical activity and issues relating to return to play (RTP) and return to school (RTS) for coaches and physical education teachers.

This article presents critical outcomes for physical education in a "triage" framework by comparing the process of determining the severity of injuries at the scene of an accident to the process of prioritizing decisions in the classroom. The intent is to reduce all possible outcomes of effective teaching to six nonnegotiable outcomes…

Because children and adolescents are not just miniature adults, it is important to know that children might be vulnerable to injury and may not respond positively to certain types or intensities of training. It is also important to recognize how training can positively affect growth and development, so it can be judiciously applied at critical…

Increasing physical activity among America's youth is critical in helping to combat chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Therefore, finding the right sporting activities for the youth is important, as is making appropriate biomechanical adjustments or behavior modifications that create a safer means of participation. In this article, the…

Exertional rhabdomyolysis gained increased attention recently when 13 football players from the University of Iowa developed this condition after an especially demanding practice session and were hospitalized. Exertional rhabdomyolysis may lead to severe kidney stress, kidney failure, and even sudden death. Anyone who does physical exercise at a…

Stretching prior to activity is universally accepted as an important way to improve performance and help prevent injury. Likewise, limited flexibility has been shown to decrease functional ability and predispose a person to injuries. Although this is commonly accepted, appropriate stretching for children and adolescents involved with sports and…

Sport and recreational activity is a vital part of today's society, and athletic training researchers are playing an important role in gaining a better understanding of how to promote safe and healthy participation for athletes of all ages. This article aims to illustrate the importance of research to prevent and effectively treat sport and…

Joe L. Frost is Parker Centennial Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas, Austin, and one of America's leading experts on play and playgrounds. In addition to having taught child development and early childhood education at Texas and several other universities, he has written or edited fifteen university-level textbooks and more than one…

The health benefits of engaging in regular physical activity are widely known: enhanced cardiorespiratory fitness, increased muscular strength and endurance, and favorable cholesterol and other profiles. Nevertheless, particularly in youth sports programs run by volunteer, and perhaps inadequately trained, coaches, many youth may not realize the…

Excessive physical loading may disrupt normal osseous development and inflict injury. This is particularly applicable to young female gymnasts, for whom the injury rate is astonishingly high at advanced levels of competition. There is a need for a more extensive database using a longitudinal approach. (MT)

Discusses management of common overuse disorders, which are often a result of repetitive stress. Reducing inflammation through icing, rest, and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents is the primary treatment goal. Patients taking anti-inflammatories must be cautioned against returning to activity too soon because the medication's analgesic…

Children who actively take part in sports are susceptible to special injury risks because their bodies are still growing. Parents should keep both the child's individual physical and emotional makeup and the demands of the sport in mind when selecting an activity. Proper training methods and equipment are discussed. (PP)

This report presents data on the current status of adolescent health. Many of the measures of health status are shown by single year of age or by 2- or 3-year age intervals to highlight the changes that occur in health status as adolescents move through this important developmental period. Summary measures combining 5- or 10-year age groups (the…

Describes an approach to help school districts conduct needs assessment of school health programs, emphasizing injury, violence, smoking, substance use, sexual behavior, nutrition, and physical activity. Researchers surveyed students and district personnel, observed physical education classes, interviewed faculty, and analyzed school lunch menus.…