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16 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • June 2018 ask the expert a sk t h e e x p e rt Q: Please share tips on how to keep knees healthy for young athletes. We hear about kids tearing their ACLs while playing sports quite a bit. Make sure they always wear appropriate protective equipment during practices and competitions. Kneepads and shin guards when appropriate will help prevent injury. Be sure that they wear supportive shoes that are in good condition and appropriate for the sport. During workouts, always make sure your child warms up and cools down. When jumping, make sure your child bends their knees while landing. This takes pres- sure off the ACL and prevents injury. If kids cut laterally or pivot frequently (as in soc- cer), encourage them to crouch and bend at the knees and hips to reduce the chance of an ACL injury. Practice your sport on training surfaces that aren't too hard. Running and jumping on asphalt can be tough on the knees. For kids who play just one sport, conditioning and training year-round, even if it's not as strenuous, can reduce the chances of injury. School is out, summer is here, and the pool is open! For many families, summer means sports, camps and hours playing outside. Our hope is for a safe and fun season. Dr. William Blake Johnson from The Children's Clinic of Fredericksburg has over 22 years of experience in general pediatrics, neonatal nursery care and pediatric hospital care, with over 13 of those years here in the Fredericksburg region! He offers us these sum- mer safety tips. interVieweD by BreNDA SAPANghilA Q: What are a few things that make The Children's Clinic of Fredericksburg stand out? The Children's Clinic of Fredericksburg is both a pediatric primary care center and a pediatric urgent care center that is open every day of the year: 8 am to 8 pm on week- days and 8 am to 4 pm on weekends. I have been practicing pediatrics for over two decades and between me, Sara Ortu, my pediatric nurse practitioner, and Lisa Grooms, my pediatric certified physician's assistant, we have over 50 years of medical experi- ence caring for children. Our urgent care clinic accepts walk-ins, has state-of-the-art digital X-ray and the abil- ity to do any necessary lab work on-site for a complete, accurate and speedy diagnosis. Our primary care clinic conducts well baby visits, has a separate area for newborns, administers vaccinations and keeps a complete electronic medical record of your child's medical history. Because of our commitment to our community, we accept nearly all insurances, including Tricare and Medicaid.