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Summer without injuries: what kind of equipment a child needs
The fine days have come, it’s time to get rollers, a scooter or a bicycle. But first, take care of your child’s safety: the right equipment will help prevent injury. And what kind of equipment can be considered correct, we figure it out together with an expert.
sales floor manager of a specialized sports store
Helmet
There are three types. Full face – fully enclosed models with a front bow, protecting both the head and the face. They guarantee safety, but are expensive, rarely available on the market, and at the same time heavy. If the child is not involved in extreme sports, take a closer look at the simpler options.
Helmets made by technology in-Mould, are made of foam material and covered with a colored film on top. Their main disadvantage is fragility, after one serious fall they become unusable.
More reliable models Shell, which have a layer of plastic instead of a film, but they weigh more and are less breathable, a little athlete may feel hot.
You need to come to the store with your child to try on. It is better to take a model with volume control: there will be a wheel on the inside in the back. The helmet should not sit on the top of the head, press from the sides or, conversely, dangle, and its front edge should not fall below the eyebrows.
Knee pads, elbow pads
It is advisable to measure them, while undressing the child is not necessary. Good protection tightly fixes the joints, the Velcro sticks tightly and does not squeeze anywhere. To check, let the baby walk around, squat down. Check the quality of the seams and look for the lining. It is important that it is soft and pleasant to the body. It’s good when there are slots in the plastic bowls, additional colored inserts, which means that the product is of high quality. Knee pads can be with a stocking and can be worn as a sock or without it and attached directly to the joint. The former are preferable in hot weather, the latter in cool ones.
Wrist protection
Sold complete with knee pads and elbow pads, so they are often too big for children. To keep it from dangling, the cuffs can be additionally fixed or fastened with Velcro.
There are two types of equipment. In one case, the palm is closed by a plastic bowl, the fingers remain open, in the other, a bent plate is applied and fixed with three elastic bands. It is cheaper and better in grip, but less comfortable: the edges can dig into the skin. For cycling or scooter riding, you should buy cycling gloves with adjustable cuffs. There is no way to try on a child? Focus on the size of winter gloves or measure the width of your palm.
Shorts, leg cuffs
They are made of mesh material. On the hips, waist and back in the tailbone area, special pads are placed. Relevant for children rollerblading or skateboarding. The tailbone protector can be soft or hard, made of plastic. If it is fastened with Velcro, and not sewn, it must be correctly adjusted so that the pad does not dig into the child’s lower back when it falls.
Is the kid engaged in the section? Ask your coach for help. Shorts should fit snugly, but not impede movement; you may need to sew on the elastic a little. Formally, they refer to winter outfit; it is rather difficult to find them on sale in the summer.
Useful Tips
Do not take protection for growth and update at least once every few years.
Discard the helmet if it is damaged or deformed after impact. Several abrasions are acceptable. More than five? Better to change: as a result of falls, the inner part also deteriorates.
Choose brightly colored models so that the child is clearly visible to pedestrians and drivers.
It is best not to buy used items, especially helmets. Damage may not be visible externally.
Age requirement
2 years… A good time to teach your toddler to ride a three-wheeled scooter or balance bike. The latter is preferable, riding on it develops muscles and the musculoskeletal system symmetrically, while on a scooter – only on one side, kids usually push off with one leg.
3 years… The child is able to master a tricycle, and after a year or two it can be transplanted to a two-wheeled one.
3,5 – 4 of the year… Suitable age for riding a two-wheeled scooter. The main thing is that the steering wheel is suitable for the height. Around the same time they start rollerblading, for smaller children it is not possible to find a suitable size.
5 – 6 years… A preschooler can stand on a skateboard, before that he will sit down and not get up on the board.
8 years and older. The student is already ready to get on the gyro scooter. In high school, he will master the projectile much more slowly.