Common Sports Injuries in Children/Teens
Updated: Sep 29
By Dr. Patrick St.Martin, Family & Sports Physician
St.Martin Family & Sports Medicine
Young athletes are still growing and are especially prone to overuse injuries, such as those affecting the growth plates. Some common sports injuries in children and teens include Little League shoulder, Little League elbow, lower back stress fractures, and stress reactions of the knee and ankle.
Overuse injuries most commonly present between the ages of 11- 16.
A well-known risk factor for these injuries is playing one sport at the exclusion of other sports and activities, which is known as sports specialization.
Sports specialization can also be defined as: playing only one sport at the exclusion of other sports; playing one sport for >8 months per year; playing one sport year-round.
Prevention is key to avoiding these injuries, so emphasis on proper sports form, proper weight lifting, protective equipment, and playing multiple sports throughout the year.
Some keys to prevention:
Take a break from a particular sport for 3-4 months per year
Have 1-2 days off from sports activities in a given week
Encourage your kids to sample multiple sports at younger ages
Encourage unstructured play.
If your child wants to specialize in one sport, it is best to delay until age 12 or greater for girls and age 14 or greater for boys.
References:
Lintner LJ, Swisher J, Sitton ZE. Childhood and Adolescent Sports-Related Overuse Injuries. Am Fam Physician. 2023 Dec;108(6):544-553. PMID: 38215415.
Jayanthi NA, Pinkham C, Dugas L, Patrick B, LaBella C, “Evidence-Based Recommendations: Counseling the Young Athlete on Sports Specialization,” Journal of Sports Health, May 2013 5:251-257.
Difiori JP, Benjamin HJ, Brenner JS et al. Overuse injuries and burnout in youth sports: a position statement from the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. Br J Sports Med. 2014 Feb;48(4):287-8.
If your child is currently dealing with an injury and you want to learn more, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Patrick.
Comments