Sports Medicine for Young Athletes

Is your little leaguer gearing up for a season of competitive sports?

Youth sports can be a great way for children to get healthy physical activity in their daily routines. For kids especially, exercise in the form of playing sports contributes to the development of physical and social skills.

While they benefit the most, it can also be fun for the entire family.

Unfortunately, along with athletics comes the potential for injuries. In fact, nearly one-third of all childhood injuries are sports related. Treating an injured child is different from treating an adult because children’s bodies are still growing and developing.

Children, for instance, have growth plates—softer parts at the end of long bones—that are fragile and more susceptible to injury. A fall, collision or blow that might result in a sprain for an adult could cause a fracture in a child.

Left untreated, growth plate injuries can affect how long a bone grows before the growth plate hardens into solid bone sometime during adolescence.

Pediatric sports medicine specialists are skilled at treating this and all sorts of injuries in children, but the best way to keep your child safe and sound is prevention.

Here are some tips to help you and your child to have a successful season:

Start Every Practice and Game with a Good Stretch

One way to avoid injuries is to teach young athletes the importance of stretching prior to playing sports. It’s also called “warming up” because it makes the body’s tissues warmer and more flexible.

This can decrease the chance of muscle straining or other soft tissue injury. It’s also a good idea to “cool down” when finished playing sports.

Avoid Overusing the Muscles

It’s also a good idea to watch out for overuse injuries in young athletes.

These are caused by repetitive movement or stress on tendons, bones or muscles. They can occur after repetitive practice of a specific maneuver like in gymnastics or the heavy conditioning that comes from routine training in team sports.

Look for Warning Signs

Pay attention to a child’s complaints about discomfort or even pain, but don’t rely on children to tell you when they are hurt. Watch for signs, like if your child is continually favoring one arm over the other. This could signal an injury. The child may not even notice it themselves.

Know What to Do

If your child does get hurt, know when and how to respond.

If you suspect a life threatening injury, go immediately to a nearby emergency department. If it’s something non-life threatening, such as a sprain or strain, see your pediatrician who can determine the need for and provide a referral to a pediatric sports medicine specialist.

Overall, don’t be so cautious that you keep your child indoors and inactive. With childhood obesity on the rise, I always encourage parents to keep kids as physically active as possible.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with a Franklin Square Pediatric Sports Medicine physician, call 443-725-2100.