Sports injuries and kids: What parents need to know

Fun facts that'll make you sound smart when musing from the sidelines about kids' sports injuries:

• 95 percent of sports-related injuries did not require surgery.

• 99 percent were not because of illegal play or activities

• 33 percent were referred to physicians.

These figures come from an analysis of the 600 injuries last year at 10 high schools in Hillsborough that are participating in a new state effort to create a registry of prep sports-related injuries in Florida.

Researchers at the University of South Florida are gathering the data, aiming to learn more about how injuries occur, so that they can be better prevented in the future.

Two-years into the effort, they've found that a lot of popular notions about youth sports and risk factors are wrong. Read the story in today's St. Petersburg Times to learn how dry conditions may be more hazardous than wet ones, and how injuries in practice can be just as severe and serious as those on game day.

Want to know more? Check out the full report.

-- Letitia Stein, Times health reporter

(Photo: A USF certified athletic trainer attends to an injured Gaither High athlete. Times staff photographer Kathleen Flynn.)

Cracking the flavor of eggs

If you've been avoiding eggs because of cholesterol and, like me, can't stand the flavor of egg whites, simply beat in 1 whole egg to a small carton of liquid egg substitute. Be sure to use the entire amount in a day or so. Must have meat? Choose ham over bacon and sausage. Sandwich your scramble on a whole grain hot dog or sub roll for a meal on the go.

Irene Maher, Staff Health Writer

Fit as Fido, in the pool

While it is true that I would find just about any excuse to share this photo with you, I have a legitimate reason to show off the amazing Lloyd, a yellow lab puppy who's part of the Kids and Canines assistance dog program in Tampa.

We have a great story this week from Dr. Dawn Marcus, a neurologist at the University of Pittsburgh, about getting fit in the pool, and how your favorite dog can help inspire you. I also wrote a column about Dawn and her book, Fit as Fido, and blog of the same name.

So where does Lloyd fit in?  As careful Personal Best readers know, my husband and I volunteer with Kids and Canines, helping to care for puppies. Lloyd, seen here at 10 weeks, is a newcomer to the program, but if the two weeks he spent with us recently are any indication, he'll be a star.

One hot day, we decided to see if Lloyd might prefer swimming to walking. Sure enough, he took to it like the Labrador retriever he is. As Dawn writes in her story, he had to be shown the steps so he could get out of the pool safely on his own, but he certainly didn't need any flotation devices. We just perched him on this inflatable turtle because .... well, for the same reason people dress their dogs up for Halloween. Lloyd withstood it all with stoic grace.

So I hope you enjoy the photo, and Dawn's insights into why your dog can be your best fitness partner.

Charlotte Sutton, Health and medicine editor

Tampa Bay's best places to run

You could say that the best place to run is.....where ever it's easiest for you to run. As Times Fitness/Outdoors Editor Terry Tomalin writes in this week's Personal Best cover story, the key to a successful running program is consistency, a good training plan, and the right gear.

But sometimes you just want a change of scenery. So we asked Terry, a longtime bay-area resident who has run, cycled or paddled just about every square mile around here, for a list of local places worth checking into for your next run. Here's his list, presented in no particular order. If he left your favorite off, let us know about it.

Bayshore Boulevard, Tampa (at left): One of the most popular spots for runners in the Tampa Bay area, this is the same route used for part of the Gasparilla Distance Classic. Distance: Approximately 4 miles.

Bay Pines Memorial Park, St. Petersburg: This short route through the county park is one of the most shaded routes in the Tampa Bay area. Distance (one-way): 1.2 miles.

St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront: A popular course with lunchtime runners, this route takes you along one of America’s most scenic waterfronts. Public parking at the Pier makes this a good choice for traveling runners. Distance (Snell Isle Bridge to Albert Whitted Airport): 2.3 miles, longer if you add in a loop around the Pier.

Pinellas Trail (that's a runner cresting an overpass at left): With dozens of access points and ample parking, this former rail line has many shady spots and hills (overpasses) for runners looking to increase their heart rates. Distance: 34 miles.

Memorial Causeway to Clearwater Beach: This well-maintained, paved path runs from the mainland to Clearwater Beach and includes a steep climb up the bridge — Heartbreak Hill — which has broken its share of world-class athletes competing in the annual Ironman World Championship 70.3 . Distance: 1.6 miles (along the water).

Dunedin Causeway to Honeymoon Island: Flanked by the Intracoastal Waterway on both sides, this offers views galore. Distance: 1.6 miles (along the water).

Get organized

Being organized can help your child perform better at school and can reduce stress at home. Schedule 20 minutes at the same time each day to prepare for the next day: lay out clothes, pack a lunch, plan a healthy breakfast, update the activity calendar, etc. Put a basket by the exit door to hold items you don't want to forget such as eyeglasses, gym bag, backpack, library books, homework, permission slips, keys, etc.

Irene Maher, Staff Health Writer

Tampa mom's swine flu story goes national

Cherie Starling, the 48-year-old mother of two from Carrollwood who is recovering from a severe bout of swine flu, is scheduled to appear on CBS' The Early Show at 7:30 a.m. Friday, according to her husband, Wayne Starling.

Wayne Starling said he was contacted by CBS on Thursday morning, after the story about his wife's ordeal appeared on the front page of the St. Petersburg Times. He said he and his wife are scheduled to be interviewed from her room at University Community Health's Long Term Acute Care Hospital at Connerton, in Land O'Lakes.

Starling was accompanying her daughter on a multicity tour with a Jacksonville-based drum and bugle corps when she fell ill. She was admitted to a hospital in Louisiana on July 20, diagnosed with swine flu and pneumonia and was unconscious for weeks. She was medically transported to Tampa on Aug. 6. Wayne Starling said his wife is recovering well, but will probably remain at the Land O'Lakes facility for another week before being able to go home.

Richard Martin, Times Staff Writer

Healthy, easy, delicious. What more do you want?

Looking for another way to use the great watermelon that's in the stores now, we found this recipe for watermelon, feta and arugula salad with balsamic glaze in the June issue of Bon Appetit.

With just four ingredients, it's so simple, we made it in the Times' photo studio, passed it over to be photographed, and that's the last we saw of it. Our colleagues soon descended and pronounced it delicious.

 We think it would be great alongside grilled chicken or fish. Hope you enjoy it, too. And if you have a healthy, easy, delicious recipe, please let us know -- we'd love to pass it along.

Watermelon, feta, and arugula salad with balsamic glaze
Servings: 8

1 (5-ounce) package baby arugula
8 cups seedless watermelon, in 3/4-inch cubes or balls
1 (7-ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze *
Pepper to taste
Arrange arugula over large platter. Scatter watermelon, then feta over arugula. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with pepper.
* Balsamic vinegar glaze can be found in the vinegar section at many supermarkets (we found it in Publix). If unavailable, boil 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan until reduced to 3 tablespoons, 6 to 7 minutes.

Nutritional information per serving: 126 calories, 6.2g fat, 22.1mg cholesterol, 289.2mg sodium, 1.2g fiber, 5.2g protein.
Source: July 2009 Bon Appetit

Sleep sense

Children need a good night's sleep to be ready to learn. 5 to 12 year olds need 10 to 11 hours of sleep a night; adolescents and teens, 9 to 10 hours. Whatever you age cut off brain stimulating activities like TV and computer games one hour before bed time. Limit caffeinated beverages and sodas; the stimulant effect can last up to 8 hours.

Irene Maher, Staff Health Writer

Put the brakes on bullies

Have you talked with your child about how to deal with bullies? Verbal, social, and cyber bullying can lead to physical and emotional injury, even suide and includes chronic teasing, name calling, and physical threats. Teach your child to report bullying to a trusted adult. Click on this link for important information on how to handle bullying.

Irene Maher, Staff HealthWriter

Swine flu vaccine protection is months away

If you were hoping that the swine flu vaccine we've been hearing so much about would save us all from the H1N1 virus, think again. Now it's looking like the earliest we might truly benefit from the vaccine's protection is somewhere around....Thanksgiving. As in, late November.

That's because the vaccine won't become available until mid-October. And we're actually going to need two innoculations to get the job done. The two shots need to be separated by three weeks, and then you're only really protected after another two weeks have passed. That gets us well into November.

Plus, vaccine makers say they can't make enough for everyone who wants it. Priority will go to the most vulnerable people, such as pregnant women and those with underlying conditions (immune disorders, diabetes, asthma, obesity) that could make a case of the flu more serious. There's a recommendation to release at least some vaccine early, but that would be a limited quantity.

The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology predicts 20 to 40 percent of the U.S. population will suffer swine flu symptoms this fall, and about half will get sick enough to go to the doctor. Most people will get away with a few days of fever, sniffles and overall misery. But for thousands, this is a very serious matter indeed. The advisors estimate the virus will kill between 30,000 and 90,000 people, mostly children and young adults who have little natural immunity to H1N1.

So you need to be smart. Even if you are not in a risk group and are strong as a bull, think of those who aren't so fortunate. Take precautions. Wash your hand a lot. Keep hand sanitizer with you and use it. Wipe down phones, keyboards, airline tray tables, anything you touch with disinfectant wipes. Cover your mouth with a tissue if you sneeze or cough and throw the tissue out.

No tissue handy? Do as Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius demonstrated on Monday in the above photo: cough into a sleeve.

And if you're running a fever, stay home for 24 hours after it's gone back to normal. If you don't have a thermometer, go get one today. That old hand on the forehead trick really does not work.

Here's a Q and A we recently did. If you've got more questions, let us know and we'll do our best to get answers. And here's ouir special swine flu page, with more resources.

Charlotte Sutton, health and medicine editor

[Photo: AP]