Should you let your child play 5-a-side football?

Posted on Jun 28, 2016


The practice of 5-a-side football often leads to injuries, reason why most parents do not let their children on the field. Should this be enough to keep your child from playing the sport that he loves? In fact, it should not. The truth is that 5 aside football injuries are not as traumatic as those produced by, say, rugby. A parent who allows his son to put on a shoulder pads and play rugby is actually risking his life. Players are frequently diagnosed with concussions and it is quite hard to prevent them. Similar to any sport, 5-a-side inherits some form of danger, but it is not nearly as dangerous as other sports. The worst that can happen is a mild ankle sprain. 5-a-side is safe for youngsters who wish to learn how to tackle the ball, not to mention that it is the greatest form of exercise. Nothing bad will happen to your child if he enters a 5 aside football leagues London. If you are still not convinced, may the following information will.

 

Look beyond the evidence

A lot of work has been carried out recently to prove that playing sports is just a waste of money and that only injuries can come out of playing them. Of course evidence does not lie, but this does not necessarily mean that you should place your kid in a bubble. Accidents only happen to a few players and your child can learn how to prevent them. By sheltering your kid, you will not protect him from all the dangers in the world. Children can trip and fall down the stairs or they can get injured while crossing the street. The point is that the world is full of hazards and accidents occur whether we like it or not. What you should take into account is the fact that by denying your kid the pleasure of playing 5 aside you will encourage him not to anything out of fear that he may hurt himself.

Tips to avoid 5-a-side football injuries

Taking into consideration that injuries can strike without any warning, you should teach your child how to avoid them. The first thing your kid needs to learn is that he will have to wear the right equipment. For instance, shin pads will protect your child from shin splints, which means the tenderness in the bones located alongside the shin bone. Footwear is equally important. They do not need to be stylish, but practical. Pre-match warm up is often ignored, so it is important that your kid will cram this into his schedule. Last but not least, you should make sure that he engages in regular exercise. If he sits in front of the computer all day long, he will definitely have problems due to difficulty of movement.

Why is 5-a-side football the best sport?

Small sided football is growing in popularity among youngsters and it is not hard to understand why. It is better than the 11-a-side game in the sense that the player has full control of the game and he gets the chance to touch the ball more often. Basically the player will not just stand on the field waiting for teammates to pass to him. Equally important are the health benefits. Out of all the sports, 5-a-side ensures the highest level of fitness. This recreational sport includes a great deal of tackling and shooting, which ultimately improves the health.