This past weekend Sissy began a new journey for our family. I officially became a soccer mom when my four year old started her very first season of soccer. She’s excited, I am excited, the whole family is excited and I can’t wait to see her in her tiny uniform. But I’ll let you in on a little secret – I am also paranoid that entry into this new world of team sports will lead to our family’s first major injury and a visit to the ER. How do you know when an injury is a broken bone vs sprain?
This post is sponsored by Kids Urgent Care.
So far this family has been serious-accident free. Sure, the kids have scrapped their knees and cried buckets of tears, but nothing resulting in any serious. As we dive head-first into the world of team sports, that could change. (By the way, I know that my ballerina could also be the first to injure herself, but team sports worry me more than a dance studio.)
For those of us who have little to no experience with broken bones, I spoke with Dr. Patricia Lewis from Kids Urgent Care to find out what we should look for in case of an injury. Is it a broken bone vs sprain, when to let it rest and when to take action?
Broken Bone vs Sprain
Outside of a very obvious break where you can see the displacement or hear a break or pop (Eek!), Dr. Lewis told me that it is often very hard to tell, even for a doctor. Both a break and a sprain can can look the same with swelling, pain and point tenderness, and very often kids don’t want to move. The only way to know for sure if it is a broken bone vs sprain is with an x-ray.
“People often think, ‘If it was broken then my child wouldn’t be able do XYZ.’ But kids will surprise you. I once had a two year old walking around, and it turned out the child’s leg was broken,” Dr. Lewis said.
The good news is that even if there is a break, there is usually no harm in waiting a few days. The key is to practice RICE – rest, ice, compression and elevate. If symptoms don’t improve after a couple of days with RICE and Ibuprofen, it’s time to get things checked out.
Dr. Lewis also noted that you should always treat an injury with ice for the first 24 hours and heat after that.
Wether the injury is a break or a sprain, it is important to give the body time to heal before returning to a sport. A bad sprain can take weeks to heal, and longer if it is reinjured before it has a chance to heal all the way.
Although you can’t fully prevent an injury like a break or sprain, there are things you can do to keep your child in tip-top shape.
- Make sure kids stretch before play.
- Pay attention to how much kids are doing, stress injuries are often associated with more than one sport.
- Make sure kids aren’t getting dehydrated, which can make them more prone to injury.
Wish us luck as my family embarks on its first season of team sports. Just in case we need it, we have a newly opened Kids Urgent Care that specializes in pediatric urgent-care needs. Although I hope I don’t have to visit one any time soon, it is nice to know there is a place we can go when the doctor is closed to have our kids checked out for a variety of injuries and illnesses including minor breaks and sprains until midnight.
Giveaway
One lucky winner will receive a $50 gift card to Academy Sports to help you prepare for your kiddo’s sports season. To enter, please use the Rafflecopter below.
I have 3 sons. Only one son has broken bones. Broke radial bone in arm & broken rib within 6 mths of each other playing hockey.
My son does gymnastics. Thank goodness blisters are the only injury he has endured.
Luckily all three of my kids have gone this far without any broken bones! Currently doing hockey, gymnastics and track.
I have 6 grandchildren and 1 is 6′ 8″ and a basketball player, 3 are gymnasts and there are always injuries of some sort. Luckily we have escaped any broken bones or really serious ones.
Mine do cross country, no bones broken so far.
I have a son who is in swimming…not broken bones, but dislocated. Also a son who plays hockey, who had broken his nose.
my son dose soccer and heb roke his arm
My daughter is into gymnastics. She hasn’t broken any bones thank goodness
Baseball. And yes to broken bones, but it was from a skateboard not playiing sports.
My Grandaughter is a cheerleader and no broken bones so far.
Never broke a bone, they love to play Volleyball.
Both of my girls play soccer and luckily we haven’t had any serious injuries yet. I sprained my ankle playing volleyball in HS and broke my arm in first grade sledding, though!
Both of my daughters play soccer, but fortunately we haven’t had any injuries. I sprained my ankle playing high school volleyball and broke my arm sledding in the first grade.
Football. My kids have never broken a bone but I have broken both wrists, left finger, elbow,and ribs.
My boys play baseball and football. At my oldest’s first game of the season, first quarter, he broke his hand.
My daughter used to play softball, but she never had a broken bone, knock on wood. Thanks for the giveaway!
My kids played baseball, soccer and lacrosse and never experienced a break.
My daughter played softball. Never had a break
My son does martial arts and no breaks, thank goodness
my grandson does baseball and basketball. my daughter is lucky that there hasnt been any broken bones
No kids here but I have broken a bone or two.
My son wrestled. Thankfully we didn’t have any broken bones.
My oldest daughter plays travel softball but thankfully has not broken any bones. My youngest daughter doesn’t really play any sports but has broken her right arm twice. Go figure! lol
No broken bones here! We play tennis!
My daughter participates in ballet and my other one plays volleyball and we have had no broken bones
My son plays soccer, no broken bones yet ! Thank goodness 🙂
My daughter played volleyball and basketball. We are long overdue for a broken bone but I am hoping we never have one!
Son plays sports from a very young age, no bones broken but some sprains.
Oh yes they play baseball and soccer but the broken bone was not from either of those!!
yes she plays baseball and no she has no broken bones
My kiddos play football, cross country and baseball. My youngest son had a broken leg, not sports related.
My son plays baseball. Luckily no broken bones for him.
My son plays baseball and no broken bones yet
my son plays soccer and has not broken a bone
Basketball football and track and a broken nose
My oldest plays baseball and a little soccer. So far no broken bones.
My daughter plays soccer and luckily no broken bones.
My boys are big football players but have never broken a bone. I, on the other hand, broke my foot last week.
My kids don’t play sports yet but my son wants to. Thankfully no broken bones yet.
Both my kids did lots of sports. My daughter injured each of her arms two different years, ended up in a cast both times. She had indented bones one time, and the other it was a hairline fracture. Both injuries were just on the playground, not during sports.
My youngest son just started soccer and has never had a broken bone.
Right now, just swimming & gymnastics. Nothing broken yet.
Between them, we do soccer, baseball and lacrosse.
My older son played baseball for many years and got hit in the hand with a baseball and had to have surgery on one of his fingers. Hard to see your child hurting.
Baseball and nonce a while ago it happens..
They do not play any sports and have never broken bones.
My daughter doesn’t play any sports, but yes, she has had a broken bone.
No broken bones! They play basketball and softball.
Our little guy plays soccer.
We’re lucky enough to not have any broken bones.
My 4 nieces are dancers, and one had a broken hand. One had a broken foot.. And one had shoulder surgery.
My daughter played soccer and has broken a bone. My granddaughter is in swimming.
they play basketball and soccer. we haven’t had any broken bones yet. thank God.
My kids played baseball, basketball, football, & cheerleading but never broke any bones. Me, on the other hand broke my wrist when I was standing on my head 🙂
my son plays soccer, he has never had a broken bone.
Both my grandson have played softball and soccer. Thank goodness neither have had a broken bone.
baseball and football knock on wood no broken bones yet
My kids do Gymnastics, Skating (ice), and soccer. No major injuries yet, but they still have time to play hard, work hard.
My daughter plays soccer and softball and has sprained her knee and ankles several times.
My son is 11. He plays baseball and soccer. No broken bones yet, but I have seen some happen. Great prize! Thanks so much for the opportunity!
My daughter is in softball. No broken bones yet.
I do not have any kids. My nephew has never broken a bone and he just started playing soccer a few months ago.
My kids are still little, so no sports yet, and no broken bones either. Knock on wood!
No sports yet.
My daughter is into softball right now. She hasn’t had any broken bones yet, lol but I know it’s bound to happen eventually.
When my daughter was 1, she broke her elbow falling off the bed. She’s doing tumbling.
My son plays soccer. Luckily, he has not broken anything yet.
I don’t have any children. I played softball when I was little and never broke a bone.
My son plays football and has played soccer.My daughter was in cheer leading,soccer, and basketball. They never had a broken bone
i love academy sports a whole lot
My kids play soccer . They also do karate and bowling.. No they havent broken anything yet and hopefully never do.
My kids played soccer and baseball and they never had a broken bone.
My boys play soccer and tennis. My oldest has broken several bones, but my youngest has yet too!
Soccer, Lacrosse, Tennis, Swim Team – no broken bones yet but a scare last year with a sprained wrist.
NO kids.. but my nephew plays soccer– thank goodness he never has broken a bone yet.
They play soccer. No broken bones yet!
My daughter once broke her hand playing basketball i.e. took a fall.