With classes and fall sports seasons soon to begin, athletes of all ages are getting back in the game. “These core principles apply to athletes in every sport, at every level and at any age,” says Dr. Michael Swartzon, a sports medicine physician with Baptist Health Orthopedic Care. Swartzon is an associate professor at FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (FIU Medicine) and the program director of the FIU/Baptist Health Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship Program, which trains family medicine physicians in caring for athletes. Proper Warm-Up is CriticalJumping straight into intense activity without preparing the muscles is a common cause of preventable injuries. Warm-up Tips for Different AgesFor young children, a warm-up can be disguised as a fun game, like tag or follow-the-leader, to get their bodies moving.