Getting Ready for Back to School & Fall Sports @MinuteClinic

I have received promotional consideration from MinuteClinic and Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. All opinions are my own.

Back to school time means new classes, new clothes, new friends and so much more. It is also a great time for getting caught up on your family’s health.  For me, I use back to school time as a yearly reminder to get my kids checked out and stay up to date on their shots.

Getting in to see a doctor though may be challenging especially if you need it done before school time. I made the mistake of waiting until this month to make my kid’s doctor appointments and I have to wait six weeks to get in. Luckily its not urgent that we get in but for kids who are new to school or in sports, six weeks may be too long to wait.

CVS MinuteClinic makes it easy to get ready for back to school by offering services a parent would need including vaccinations, immunizations and sports physicals.

Did you know that sports participation can actually improve performance in the classroom? Keeping kids healthy and cleared for playing is the first step. Even if your child doesn’t need it, a sports physical is a great way to stay up to date with immunizations and touch on any concerns you may have for the new school year. Many schools and colleges require students to receive vaccinations including meningitis and pertussis (whopping cough) before attending school. Children and young adults are among the highest at risk for meningitis. MinuteClinic can administer meningitis vaccines to anyone over 18 months in most states.

Find out the requirements for meningitis shots in your state here: http://bit.ly/1fOYMDL and the requirements for pertussis shots here: http://bit.ly/1VRj8NJ.

MinuteClinic practitioners can:

• Review health history and immunizations
• Perform a thorough physical exam
• Complete and stamp required paperwork

Fall Sports Tips from MinuteClinic

After an active summer, make sure to ease your kids back into their sports routine in the appropriate way.

• When starting a new sport, consider a pre-season conditioning program or camp to gradually build strength & endurance

• Don’t let them jump in too fast – increase intensity, distance or duration of play by about 10% a week. This allows the body to rest, rebuild, recover & avoid injury

• Help your kids boost their stamina and include the fit 5 in their diet: quinoa, kale, chia seed, peanut butter & pickle juice

• Avoid cramping before game time and serve main meals 2-3 hours prior. If they really need something before a game, lighter snacks, such as granola bars, can be digested in 30 minutes

When it comes to injuries, sprains and strains are two of the most common ones, so be sure to know the difference between the two.

• Sprains occur in a ligament (bone connector)
• Strains occur in a muscle or tendon (muscle-bone connector)

Kids can get either one after a fall on the sports field. But with strains, there’s an extra layer ─ they can actually get one just from overuse (like gripping a gymnastics bar or tennis racket). Get it checked out if their pain is severe ─ but if not, here’s how to help give them pain relief, fast:

For the first 24-48 hours, think R.I.C.E. Help your kids:

R = Rest the joint, and keep weight off of it.

I = Ice the area to ease swelling.

C = Compress the joint by wearing an elasticized support bandage from the drugstore.

E = Elevate it ─ keep it up above their heart, especially when they sleep.

More info on MinuteClinic sports physicals services here: http://bit.ly/1DfrEzK

Savings!

Don’t forget – you can get $10 off a sports physical from now until 9/7/15 and a FREE Johnson & Johnson coupon book with $29 worth of savings! You can find the closest MinuteClinic to you here: http://bit.ly/1qKsSao