A pediatric orthopedic awareness campaign on the prevention and cure of musculoskeletal concerns in children conducted by Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery (BHAS)

United Arab Emirates, Dubai –8th May 2017: According to the World Health Organization, child injuries are a global public health problem. There is also high morbidity associated with childhood injuries: for every injured child who dies, there are several thousand children who live on with varying degrees of disability. A large proportion of these injuries (for example, drowning, burns, falls) occur in or around the home. 

In order to address this issue of childhood injuries, Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery (BHAS) is running a unique campaign called 'Watch Your Back Teenager'. ‘’Watch Your Back Teenager' is a pediatric orthopedic awareness campaign on the prevention and cure of musculoskeletal and spine complaints in children. As part of this campaign the hospital recently conducted musculoskeletal screening at Gems First Point School, The Villa spearheaded by Dr. Zaid Al Aubaidi, Consultant Pediatric Orthopedic & Pediatric Spine Surgeon at Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery (BHAS), Dubai.

Dr. Zaid Al Aubaidi, Consultant Pediatric Orthopedic & Pediatric Spine Surgeon said “Sports related Injuries is a global health problem and we at Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery, Dubai are running out campaigns to create awareness around this issue. “Watch Your Back Teenager” is an endeavor on behalf of Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery to create awareness and knowledge around the prevention and cure of musculoskeletal conditions in children. We believe that while it’s imperative for parents to know and teach their kids how to prevent these musculoskeletal injuries, it is equally important that children these days are aware and know how these injuries can be prevented and cured. Therefore, as part of this initiative we are also conducting musculoskeletal screenings at schools in Dubai”

There has been a significant increase in sports related injuries over the last few years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 2.6 million children 0 to 19 years old are treated in the emergency department each year for sports and recreation-related injuries. These injuries are by far the most common cause of musculoskeletal injuries in children treated in emergency departments. They are also the single most common cause of injury-related primary care office visits.

“Broken bones can be a lot more than painful and inconvenient especially for kids. They can have a thwarting and sometimes even a permanent impact on the child’s health. While I would strongly urge parents to encourage their kids to participate in sports related activities, at the same time I would also advise them to make their kids aware of the injuries that come along while playing sports and hence undertake preventive measures for example undertaking stretching & flexibility exercises before every session to avoid any such injuries” added Dr.Zaid Al-Aubaidi.