by Eran Gerstein, Physiotherapist

Building Strength and Staying Active to Prepare for a Healthy Season

The summer holidays are just around the corner, offering a perfect opportunity for children and teenagers to relax and recharge. While downtime is essential, staying active during the break is equally important—especially for young athletes preparing for preseason or the upcoming school sports calendar.

Why Staying Active Matters

The return to school coincides with the return of organised sport. This often means 2 school trainings and a game for their selected sport and often another 2-3 trainings and matches in their out of school sport. As a result their loads go from 0 hours of activity through the holidays to 12+ hours the next week. These loads also cumulate over the weeks and need to be absorbed by their growing bodies otherwise injuries result. These injuries can be significant and lead to long rehabilitation periods and time off from sport and activity. The other component of this time off is that adolescents tend to grow over the summer which impacts their coordination and skills, in turn exposing them to risk of injury on resumption of sport.

Common injuries we see in teens and kids through the first few months of the year are:

• Lower back (Lumbar) stress fractures
• Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries
• Osteochondritis Dissecans
• Osgood Schlatters Disease
• Sever’s Disease
• Hamstring and quadriceps strains

To reduce the risk of these injuries, it’s vital to maintain a baseline level of fitness and strength over the holidays.

Regular activity during the break helps:

• Maintain muscle strength, joint stability and co-ordination
• Improve cardiovascular fitness.
• Build resilience to prevent overuse injuries.

Ways for Kids and Teens to Stay Active

The key is to keep moving in a way that is fun and engaging while still building fitness and strength.

Here are some ideas:

1. Practice Sport-Specific Skills: Whether it’s kicking a soccer ball, practicing golf swings, or shooting hoops, keeping connected with the sport they love will make returning easier.
2. Active Family Time: Go for walks, bike rides, or beach swims as a family. These are great ways to stay active while bonding.
3. Strength and Conditioning Classes: For teenagers especially, structured strength training can be a game-changer. Building a strong foundation improves performance and reduces the risk of injury. Our strength classes at Physiosports are designed for young athletes, focusing on improving functional strength, balance, and coordination in a safe and supervised environment. We already have many teenagers taking advantage of these morning classes throughout the year.
4. Pilates for Teens: Pilates can be a fantastic way to improve core strength, flexibility, and body awareness—skills that benefit all sports. We also have a special offer over summer, called our Summer Pilates Pass!
5. General Fitness Activities: Encourage them to go for a run, play games at the park, or join a holiday sports camp.

Need Help Planning?

Not every young athlete has access to a strength and conditioning coach to guide their holiday fitness. That’s where we can help! At Physiosports Brighton, our experienced physiotherapists can create tailored programs to suit your child’s age, sport, and goals. Whether it’s a strength program, a conditioning plan, or advice on how to stay active safely, we’ve got them covered.

Our strength classes are particularly popular for teenagers aiming to improve their physical resilience and performance. Programs are designed by our physiotherapists who understand the specific needs of growing bodies, and then run by our in-house personal trainer.

Book an Appointment Today

Don’t wait for preseason niggles or injuries to derail your child’s season. Take proactive steps now by booking an appointment with one of our physiotherapists. We’re here throughout the holiday period to support kids, teens, and families in achieving their health and sporting goals.

Let’s keep our kids moving, building strength, and doing what they love this summer!