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Injuries to young athletes are on the rise
Published: Monday, February 21, 2011, Staten Island Advance
By Richmond County Medical Society
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - During the past two decades, sports injuries among children, teenagers, and young adults have increased at an alarming rate. Seven million sports and recreational-related injuries occur each year. More than half of them affect those ages 5 to 24 and require treatment by a doctor. These statistics most likely underestimate the problem because many of the injuries go unreported.
Sports with high injury rates include football, wrestling, gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, baseball and track. The number of injuries have increased due to the rise in the number of young athletes playing sports, the development of over-aggressive training programs, the use of improper techniques (e.g., pitching, tackling), year-round game schedules, and participation in multiple sports in one season.
Billions of dollars are spent treating sports injuries every year. More importantly, an injury in a young athlete can potentially end an athletic career early and become a source of life-long disability limiting the capacity to perform work-related activities and to enjoy athletic activity as a way to stay physically fit.
NOT THE SAME
Young athletes are not smaller versions of adult athletes and should not be trained in the same manner. Specific differences in the body structure of children and teenagers increase their risk of injuries. For example, children have head-to-body proportions that create imbalance; children are smaller in size so protective gear may not fit properly; their bones are still growing; and they lack mature motor skills, which usually do not develop until about 10 to 12 years-old.
During puberty, as children experience their growth spurt, a temporary decline in coordination and balance places them at greater risk for falling and sustaining an injury.
PREVENTING INJURIES
Every young athlete, parent, and coach can take simple steps to help reduce the risk of sports injuries. First, a pre-season physical examination by a doctor every year should be mandatory for all athletes.
Second, eating a healthy diet is critical to keeping bones and muscles strong, as well as providing the energy necessary to participate in athletic activity.
Third, rest is an important component of injury prevention. Young athletes should rest at least one day a week to give their bodies a break from the stress of physical activity and competition. The combination of overly intense exercise, inadequate rest, low body weight, and an unhealthy diet makes athletes more susceptible to sports injuries.
Fourth, coaches should ensure that athletes are using proper techniques (e.g., pitching, jumping, tackling) to avoid unnecessary injury. Improper techniques are one of the biggest contributors to sports injuries.
Fifth, every athlete should have properly fitted equipment that is in good condition. Sixth, young athletes should understand the rules of their sport and play according to them in practices and games.
Finally, excessive temperatures (hot and cold), sunlight, lightning, and altitude can cause significant harm to the body during athletic events and, in some cases, death. Awareness about weather conditions will help protect athletes from the elements of nature during practices and games.
GUIDELINES TO LIVE BY
As your young athlete sets out to participate in sports, remember the following safety guidelines:
*Stop and think, you only get one set of bones. Many athletes think that injuries cannot happen to them. However, injuries occur at every age and in every sport. In order to prevent them, building strong bones and muscles should begin at a young age and continue throughout life. Safety is equally important. For any sport, young athletes, parents, and coaches should assess the training program, practice/game schedule, diet, equipment, and playing field to ensure a healthy and safe experience.
*Use, not abuse. Physical activity should be beneficial, not abusive. When you participate in a sport, remember to have realistic expectations. Injuries occur because athletes try to do too much before their bodies can handle the stress. All athletes should develop realistic expectations and use them to develop a safe training strategy. Use your body to enjoy sports, do not abuse it.
*Play smart, not injured. If your body is in pain, then stop playing. All athletes need to know their limitations. Some people say, “No pain, no gain.” However, playing with pain does not lead to gain. In fact, playing with pain increases the risk for injury.
Pain causes abnormal muscle function and reaction times. As a result, playing with pain can make an established injury worse or lead to the development of a new injury. Minor injuries can become career-threatening or career-ending if you continue to play with them. If your body hurts, then stop and get checked before you continue playing. Taking yourself out of the game when you are injured is not a weakness, it is the smartest move you can make.
*Work together. Athletes should work with their coaches, parents, teammates, athletic trainers and team doctor to develop guidelines for safe participation in all sports. Communication, understanding, acceptance, and respect for these guidelines is critical to staying healthy and avoiding injuries.
More information on sport injuries is available at the websites for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, STOP Sports Injuries Campaign and Sports Injury Forum
Michael DeFranco MD
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