The six weeks of summer holidays are a gift for active children and a busy time for our clinic. Trampoline parks, football camps, cricket nets and family bike rides all pack more falls into fewer weeks. This parent’s guide covers the injuries we see most, the simple first aid that actually works, the red flags that mean it is time for sports injury physiotherapy in Leyland, and how to get your child safely back to play.
The summer injury list: what we treat most in July and August
When the schools break up across Leyland and the wider South Ribble area, the pattern in our appointment book changes almost overnight. Term-time aches give way to sudden holiday knocks. These are the ones we treat most through July and August:
- Ankle sprains from trampoline parks and uneven grass pitches, comfortably the most common summer injury we see.
- Wrist and elbow knocks from falls off bikes, scooters and skateboards.
- Knee pain from a sharp jump in activity at football and multi-sports camps.
- Muscle strains in the calf, hamstring and groin, often when a child goes from a quiet term to full days of sport.
- Bumps and bruises to soft tissue that look alarming but usually settle quickly with the right care.
Most of these are soft tissue injuries rather than broken bones, and most respond well to sensible home care. Our sports injuries physiotherapy service is built around getting active children and adults moving again safely, and knowing which injuries need hands-on help is half the battle.
POLICE has replaced RICE, and why it matters
Most parents grew up with RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. The advice has moved on. Physiotherapists now follow POLICE, which stands for Protection, Optimal Loading, Ice, Compression and Elevation. It is worth understanding, because the change is not just a new acronym.
Protection · Optimal Loading · Ice · Compression · Elevation
The key difference is that second step. Complete rest used to be the default for any sprain or strain. We now know that gentle, gradual movement, called optimal loading, helps soft tissue heal stronger and faster than rest alone. You protect the injured part for the first day or two, then start easing it back into safe movement rather than wrapping it in cotton wool.
For a typical ankle sprain that means protecting it and avoiding painful weight-bearing on day one, using ice for 15 to 20 minutes every few hours in the first 48 hours, a light compression bandage, and elevation when resting. Then, as pain settles, you encourage gentle movement within comfort. The NHS guidance on sprains and strains is a sound first reference for the home-care stage.
Ankle sprains in children vs adults: the bone-growth difference
A sprained ankle in a twelve-year-old is not simply a smaller version of a sprained ankle in an adult. Growing children have growth plates, areas of softer cartilage near the ends of their bones where new bone is still forming. In a young athlete, these growth plates can be weaker than the nearby ligaments.
That matters because a twist that would only sprain an adult’s ligament can sometimes injure the growth plate instead. The tricky part is that both can look identical from the outside, causing pain, swelling and a limp. Tenderness located directly over the bone, rather than over the soft ligament, is one sign that deserves a professional check.
This is the main reason we are a little more cautious with children than with adults. When a child cannot put weight on the ankle, or the pain sits right on the bone, it is worth having it assessed rather than assuming it is just a sprain that will fade on its own.
Five red flags that mean it is time for a physio appointment
Most holiday knocks settle within a few days of good home care. See a physiotherapist, or in some cases your GP or urgent care, if you notice any of these:
- Your child cannot bear weight or take a few steps on the injured leg.
- Pain sits directly over a bone rather than the surrounding muscle or ligament.
- There is an obvious deformity, or swelling that is severe or comes on very fast.
- Pain and swelling are no better, or are getting worse, after three to four days.
- A joint locks, gives way, or your child is still afraid to use it a week later.
If in doubt, get it looked at. A short assessment can save weeks of a child limping through a lost summer. You can contact our Chorley clinic to talk it through before you book anything in.
Getting your young athlete back on the pitch safely
The most common mistake we see is not the injury itself but the return from it. A week of rest, a pain-free morning, and children are back at full-speed football that same afternoon. That is exactly how a minor sprain becomes a recurring one.
A safer return is gradual. Once your child can walk, jog and hop without pain, rebuild activity in stages: light movement first, then running and changing direction, then non-contact drills, and finally full training before match play. Each stage should be pain-free before moving to the next. For most soft tissue injuries this takes days rather than weeks, but rushing it is what brings children back to us.
A physiotherapist can guide that return and add simple strength and balance work that makes the next injury less likely. You can see the full range of our physiotherapy services, find out more about physiotherapy in Leyland, and if your family also enjoys the summer hills, our guide to pain-free hiking on the West Pennine Moors is worth a read too.
Frequently asked questions
Should my child rest completely after a sprain?
No, not for long. Protect it for a day or two, then start gentle, pain-free movement. Modern POLICE guidance shows that controlled loading helps soft tissue heal better than total rest, so the aim is to keep it moving within comfort rather than to stop altogether.
How do I know if it is a sprain or a break?
You often cannot tell from the outside, especially in children whose bones are still growing. Pain directly over a bone, an inability to bear weight, or an obvious deformity all point to getting it checked. When you are unsure, have it assessed rather than guessing.
When can my child go back to sport?
When they can walk, jog, hop and change direction without pain, and have rebuilt activity in stages. For most soft tissue injuries this is a matter of days, but skipping the gradual build-up is the single biggest cause of re-injury.
Do you treat children at NV Physiotherapy?
Yes. We assess and treat active children and teenagers from Leyland, South Ribble and across the area at our Chorley clinic, with same-week appointments available throughout the school holidays.
Keep your child’s summer on track
If a holiday tumble is not settling, do not let it drag on into the new school term. We offer same-week appointments in Chorley for Leyland and South Ribble families, and you can book online in a couple of minutes. A quick assessment now is often all it takes to get your young athlete back to the sport they love.
Written by Nathan, Chartered Physiotherapist and clinic lead at NV Physiotherapy, Chorley (HCPC registered). NV Physiotherapy treats patients across Chorley, Leyland, South Ribble, Wigan, Bolton and Horwich.