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Sports Parents: Pediatric Orthopaedic Expert's Guide to Winter Sports Injury Prevention (Downloadable)

A pediatric orthopaedic expert from LuskinOIC shares essential advice for parents.
A pediatric orthopaedic expert from LuskinOIC shares essential advice for parents.
1/27/26 - By Jessica Laird

Did you know that sports injuries are one of the most common reasons kids end up in the emergency room? If your child participates in winter sports like basketball, soccer, skiing, or snowboarding, learning how to prevent and manage common injuries can help keep them safe and get them back in the game quickly.

We spoke with Dr. Shane Hervey, a pediatric orthopaedic expert and Assistant Clinical Professor with the UCLA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children, to get his essential advice for parents—and created a free downloadable chart of the most common winter sports injuries for kids, how to prevent and treat them, and when it’s likely safe to return to the activity.

Bookmark or download this essential info for your young athletes.

Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains are common, especially when athletes change direction quickly or land on another player. A recent sprain (in the last 6-12 months) makes another injury more likely.

Focus Dr. Hervey's Practical Tips for Parents
Prevention
  • Warm-up is Non-negotiable: Ensure your child does warm-up exercises and gentle stretching before every practice and game.
  • Strengthen Throughout the Season: Encourage ankle strengthening exercises throughout the entire sports season.
  • Proper Gear & Form: Make sure your child has well-fitting shoes and uses correct sports technique.
  • Post-Injury Support: If your child has a history of sprains, a brace or athletic tape can provide extra support, and home exercises or physical therapy are vital to restore stability.
Treatment
  • Seek Professional Advice: If you suspect a sprain, schedule an appointment with a sports medicine physician to determine if imaging, a brace, or crutches are needed.
  • L.U.S.K.I.N: For simple sprains, Slowly Increase Load, Use Compression, Stay Moving, Keep It Elevated, Ice for Pain, New Injuries Need Rest. An over-the-counter anti-inflammatory can help with pain and swelling.
Return to Sport Your child is safe to return once they have full range of motion and full strength, and can perform running, jumping, and cutting motions without any pain in the ankle.

Patellar Tendinopathy: Jumper’s Knee

Also known as "jumper’s knee," this injury is caused by repeated stress on the patellar tendon (connecting the kneecap to the shin), leading to tiny tears and pain in the front of the knee. It’s typically an overuse injury from repetitive jumping, running, and cutting.

Focus Dr. Hervey's Practical Tips for Parents
Prevention
  • Focus on Leg Strength: The best prevention is stretching and strengthening the thigh muscles.
  • Check Running Form: Ensure your child is using correct running, jumping, and landing mechanics.
  • Consult a Specialist: If you notice alignment issues like knock-knees or collapsing arches, speak with a specialist, as these can contribute to the injury.
Treatment
  • Rest is Key: Rest is the first step to reduce stress on the tendon.
  • Manage Pain: A patellar strap, knee brace, ice, and NSAIDs can help manage pain and swelling.
  • Be Patient with PT: Strengthening leg muscles through physical therapy is crucial, but full tendon healing often takes months, so persistence and patience are essential for a full recovery.
Return to Sport Return to sport is safe once your child’s injured knee is not swollen and can be fully straightened and bent without pain. Your child should also be able to jog and sprint straight ahead without limping.

ACL Sprains and Tears

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a major stabilizer of the knee. It can be seriously torn from sudden stopping, cutting, pivoting, twisting, or hyperextending—most often without any contact from another player. Girls are generally more prone to ACL tears due to anatomical and hormonal differences.

Focus Dr. Hervey's Practical Tips for Parents
Prevention
  • Implement Injury Prevention Programs: While accidents happen, focused exercise programs may reduce the risk. Encourage training that includes plyometrics, strength, agility, and balance.
  • Free Resource: The Luskin OIC Injury Prevention Program offers a downloadable program of warm-ups, stretches, and exercises for coaches and athletes.
  • Risk Evaluation: If your child has had a prior knee injury, a professional evaluation may be helpful.
Treatment
  • Initial Steps: Initial treatment involves bracing, rest, ice, compression, elevation, pain management, and possibly crutches.
  • Surgical Consult: If a complete tear is suspected, you will need to consult with a surgeon, but not all ACL injuries require surgery. This decision depends on factors like the child's planned activity level.
  • Pre-Surgery Rehab is Critical: If surgery is necessary, it is not immediate. The Pre-hab phase—exercise rehabilitation before surgery—is vital to restore range of motion, reduce swelling, and build muscle strength, all of which ensure an optimal post-surgery recovery.
Return to Sport
  • Athletes can typically return once they have full strength and range of motion in the injured knee, can jog or sprint without limping, and can jump on one or both legs without pain.
  • Complete ACL tears treated with surgery generally require 9 to 12 months of recovery and rehabilitation before an athlete can safely return to sports.
  • Kids should return to their sport at about 50% effort, and increase by about 10% each week.

For more information on common kids’ sports injuries or to schedule an appointment with a pediatric orthopaedic specialist, visit the Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children website.

LuskinOIC’s Orthopaedic Urgent Care in LA also welcomes walk-ins Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm. No appointment needed, but you can “save your spot” online here.

 

This information is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider regarding a medical condition.

Photo courtesy of Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children

Places featured in this article:

Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children