• Medical conditions (asthma, diabetes, epilepsy)
• Overuse injuries (stress fractures)
• Thermoregulation
• Appropriateness of resistance training

Medical Conditions

• Asthma
  • A respiratory condition that occurs due to the narrowing of airways and accumulation of mucus.
  • Predominant marker includes difficulty in breathing marked by attacks of spasm.
  • Other symptoms include:
    • Coughing
    • Wheezing
    • Chest tightness
    • Shortness of breath
  • Patients are generally prescribed with corticosteroids that help prevent sudden flare-ups.
  • Inhalers are also prescribed to quickly open up airways and make breathing easier.
• Diabetes
  • A medical condition where glucose levels in blood elevate.
  • Can be of two categories:
    • Type 1: The pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin for glucose metabolism.
    • Type 2: The pancreas is able to produce insulin but the cells aren’t responsive to insulin.
  • Common symptoms include:
    • Polyurea
    • Polydipsia
    • Polyphagia
  • Diet requirements need to be monitored extensively.
  • Hypoglycemia can also be triggered due to excessive strain and workout. Supplements containing glucose are provided to athletes.
  • Best to seek medical care if symptoms worsen.
• Epilepsy
  • Neurological condition, characterized by seizures.
  • An individual experiencing an epilepsy episode loses control over their movement and mobility.
  • Often triggered in athletes due to fatigue and elevated body temperature from extensive physical activity.
  • During an epileptic attack, the patient should be kept in an area devoid of crowd. A resting phase should follow once the impact has minimized.

Overuse Injuries – Stress Fractures

• Often occurs due to muscle strain from repetitive tasks.
• Often common in children since they are prone to falling and sometimes have growth imbalances among bones, muscles and tendons.
• Can be avoided by allowing children to participate in multiple sports. This will open windows for developing muscle flexibility by exercising them in different positions.
• Training sessions should include appropriate strength training programs for a balanced workout routine including effective warm up, cool down and stretch segments.

Thermoregulation

• Children are more likely to lose body fluid because of less overall fluid retention, less developed sweat glands and under developed muscles.
• A quickened rate of dehydration causes overheating and heat stress.
• Exercise routines for children shouldn’t be too intense and prolonged. Regular drink breaks should be given for fluid restoration.

Appropriateness of Resistance Training

• For training sets focused on muscular endurance, resistance training is appropriate.
• Routines should include efficient warm up and cool-down phases to avoid excessive stress buildup in muscles and injury.