SPORTS HEALTH
INFORMATION
WITH BALANCE
We are an international education, advocacy and research organization dedicated to sports safety and the value of sports participation.
Understanding Concussions
Most concussions get better in a matter of days. But some don’t. Why is it so important to understand and properly treat them? When is it safe to return to school and sports? What will happen if the symptoms don’t go away?
Movement, play and sports: What are the benefits?
The sports and activities children love often come with risks. But sports, movement and play also yield abundant benefits. They can enhance the physical, mental and social health of children today and long into the future.
Legislating Safe Return to Play
The Institute was largely inspired by the personal story of Zackery Lystedt, a Washington teenager who returned to play after suffering a concussion in a football game, and was treated for major head injuries at UW Medicine’s Harborview Medical Center. Our advocacy helped lead to the Zackery Lystedt Law, which regulates athletes’ return to play after a suspected concussion. It was first passed in Washington, and quickly adopted by all 50 states.
Happenings
Study of Youth Concussions Will Address Critical Questions
New research on concussions in football focuses on the crucial 7-14 age group, a time when children’s habits can influence lifelong health.
Study of Youth Concussions Will Address Critical Questions
The UW Medicine Sports Health and Safety Institute is partnering with Seattle Children’s on research that will provide new insights into how young athletes get injured. A local junior football league benefits from the presence of licensed athletic trainers, who collect the data—and also treat the athletes as injuries occur.
Hydration 101: It's More Than You Drink
Read about the best ways to keep from getting thirsty, including a list of foods with high water content.
Hydration 101: It's More Than You Drink
Even a 1.5% loss of water can trigger dehydration, leading to changes in mood, decreased energy and decreased mental clarity. University of Washington dietician Jill Irvine describes the signs of dehydration, the role that water, other fluids and foods play, and warning signs of over-hydration.
Sports Specialization: What You Need to Know
Balanced advice on the risks and benefits of young athletes focusing on a single sport year-round.
Sports Specialization: What You Need to Know
Dr. Emily Kraus writes that as youth sports have evolved over the years, many children focus intensively on a single sport all year in an effort to increase performance. However, when young athletes sample multiple sports, they may lower their risk of injury.
7 Benefits of Exercise
Mounting evidence supports the surprising benefits of exercise, from boosting mood and brain health to improving the way our bodies burn fat.
7 Benefits of Exercise
Scientists are learning that exercise is, actually, medicine. “There is no pill that comes close to what exercise can do,” says Claude Bouchard, director of the human genomics laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana.
OUR CORE
PURPOSE
IS BALANCE
Partner Spotlight
Seattle Children’s Research Institute (SCRI)
Part of one of the world’s leading pediatric specialty health centers, SCRI brings together the best minds in pediatric research to set new standards of pediatric care and find new cures for childhood diseases.