It’s Good to Know: Young Athletes, Grown-Up Injuries

If your kids play sports, take note. In recent years, doctors have seen a dramatic rise in the number of young children requiring treatment for common adult-athlete injuries, including stress fractures, tendonitis, cartilage damage, and even torn ACLs (anterior cruciate ligaments). In some cases, these injuries result in permanent damage that can affect the child’s physical development.

Sports medicine specialists say that a major contributing factor is that children are picking a favorite sport at a very young age and playing it year-round, often with no breaks. To counteract this trend, doctors recommend regular breaks from organized sports, and improved strength and conditioning training for child athletes. They also recommend that coaches and parents become more aware of the causes of these serious injuries and how to prevent them.
(Source: Associated Press)

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