As youth sports leagues start gearing up for the spring season, parents and coaches should keep in mind that stretching and warm-ups aren’t just for adults.

Kids tend to run right out of the mini-van and onto the field when they arrive at practice. By teaching your children to include time for warming up prior to participating in sports you’ll accomplish two important goals: they’ll have fewer injuries and they’ll develop a habit that will serve them well throughout their lives.

Equally important is to teach young athletes that it isn’t “cool” to play with pain. Continuing to play following an injury, or resuming play before a sprain or stress fracture is properly healed, can result in even further damage to young tendons and bones.