Photos courtesy of Dr. Amy Valasek
My family and I moved from Baltimore, Md. to New Albany this summer. An amazing opportunity to join the team of physicians at Nationwide Children’s Hospital Pediatric Sports Medicine attracted us here.
I am delighted to become part of the team both professionally and within my new community. The Healthy New Albany initiative is invigorating, unique and simple.
As a pediatric physician, I am well aware of the obesity epidemic plaguing our children. A sedentary lifestyle at a young age is a very difficult cycle to break as pounds accrue.
The reverse is also true. As a sports medicine physician, I routinely diagnose overuse injuries from repetitive single-sport focus at a young age. Too much, too hard, too often and too young is not a recipe for success either.
The questions we struggle with today are:
-What spectrum of fitness is safe for children?
-How do we target the children in our community?
Simple: Engage children early. Research demonstrates children must develop key milestones to progress into a healthy and active lifestyle.
Learning how to run, jump, hop, throw, balance, land and kick are fundamental milestones. Mastering these skills enables a progression in fitness activity and athletics.
I grew up in Philadelphia, and outdoor play was a requirement. Each city block was filled with kids, and we made up our own games and tournaments: Wiffle ball, halfie home run derby, street hockey, bike races, soccer games, basketball games with trash cans, dodge ball, tag and water balloon battles. We were told by our parents to stay outside and get creative.
Furthermore, scientific research today has repeatedly demonstrated skill mastery in basic jumping, landing and pivoting correlates with injury prevention. Learning the fundamentals is a recipe for long-term success.
Our outdoor play has been replaced in the modern era by weekend tournaments, showcases and club teams. While we played side by side and challenged one another to improve, kids today no longer have unstructured freedom to challenge each other creatively through natural movement. The idea of commitment, contract, scouting showcases and sports specialization early is commonplace. All or none is the new motto, unfortunately.
These trends have prompted recommendations of fitness for both the sedentary and overspecialized child. The American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and American College of Sports Medicine endorse 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous daily physical activity for children of all ages. This exercise prescription can be accomplished quite simply with more free play and outdoor activity.
I am excited to serve as a voice for our children in the community. As a mother of two young daughters, I understand the challenges but also understand the stakes. We need to encourage our children to creatively get moving, keep moving, stay safe moving and have fun moving.
My family and I use the 30-plus miles of leisure trails here in New Albany to help us accomplish this. We hope to see you there with your friends and family, too, going outside and getting creative.
Without a doubt, this will ensure a Healthy New Albany for generations to come.
Amy Elizabeth Valasek, MD, MSc is a New Albany resident. She is a physician for Nationwide Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine and an assistant professor at the department of pediatrics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
