A new bilingual booklet about sports injuries is available to readers through the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The English and Spanish fotovela titled, “Ana’s Story,” provides a comic-book style format in order to engage the reader’s attention and offer key health messages.

A NIH news release reports that children aged 5 years old to 14 years old account for nearly 40% of all sports-related injuries, making the publication beneficial for active children, parents, and coaches. The publication’s family oriented tone follows its predecessor, “Isabel’s Story,” which Stephen I. Katz, MD, PhD, director of the NIAMS, notes details bone health. “These family-focused publications represent our commitment to providing culturally relevant health information,” Katz adds. 

The story follows teen soccer player Ana following a sprained knee. The book goes on to illustrate beneficial approaches to treating a sports injury promptly in order to avoid future complications. The resource also reportedly provides specific tips encompassing how to ensure that sports remain safe for children and prevent injuries. 

As a part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, NIAMS aims to provide support to research centered on the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases.

For more information, visit http://www.niams.nih.gov

Source: NIH