Youth Sports Injuries
Every year millions of children and teens participate in organized team sports. These activities offer many health benefits and can foster a love of physical activity for a lifetime. Unfortunately, these activities also contribute to a substantial number of injuries.
Often these are minor in nature, but more serious injuries can occur including back, knee and elbow pain, ACL tears, stress fractures, shin splints and concussions. Many of these injuries are caused by improper equipment, playing until overly fatigued, and repetitive stress on specific muscles or joints. Click here for sports
Orthopedic surgeons are seeing more adult-like injuries on young bodies that are still developing, particularly with athletes who stick to a single sport beyond its regular season or play multiple sports year round. These include growth plate injuries like little league elbow (ulnar collateral ligament injury to the elbow), runner’s knee (patellofemoral pain syndrome – pain or tenderness on the front of the knee) and jumper’s knee (patellar tendonitis – painful tightening of the patellar ligament in the knee).
Preventing Injuries
The best way to avoid sports injuries is by preventing them in the first place. This is true for all athletes, from the casual jogger to the professional athlete.
This can be accomplished by gradually increasing the duration and intensity of workouts, as well as varying the type and intensity of exercises. It is also important to wear proper equipment for the sport you play and to practice correct technique. Injuries can also be prevented by getting enough sleep. Sleep deprivation exacerbates muscle fatigue, which is one of the most common causes of injury.
When an injury does occur, it is important to treat it quickly. This not only prevents a small injury from becoming a bigger problem, but it can also allow the athlete to return to his or her sport more quickly and with less risk of reinjury. If conservative treatment options do not work, minimally invasive surgical procedures may be an option to help the injured athlete get back in the game.
Recovery
Sports recovery is the process of returning to a normal physiological state after a period of training and competition. The goal is to minimize the impact of exercise-induced stress on performance and increase the effectiveness of future training sessions. The best athletes in all sports understand this principle and use a variety of techniques to maximize their recovery windows. Youth should also be encouraged to embrace recovery as part of their growth mindset, learning how to overcome an injury and return to play even stronger than before.