Seattle's Child: Aim to Prevent Sports Injuries in Children

October 2007

Aim to Prevent Sports Injuries in Children

Along with the return to school, fall traditionally brings a return to seasonal organized sports. Although a school-age child may be physically and cognitively ready for organized sports or more challenging individual sports, parents and coaches have to be aware of the potential for injury. This is especially true for younger children who may not be able to connect symptoms that occur after an activity to signs of an injury, nor be able to tell if an injury is serious.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), more than 3.5 million sports related injuries requiring medical treatment occur in children under 15 each year. The National Institutes of Health reports that the greatest number of injuries occurs in cycling, followed by basketball and then football.

It is important that a physician evaluate the sports injury, as ignoring the problem may lead to a more serious injury. Pain, swelling or limited motion are reasons to get an appointment with a professional to assess your child.

For young children, the greatest risk of injury is in the areas of the bone where there is rapid growth. Sports injuries fall in three main categories – sprains, strains and broken bones. University of Washington Sports Medicine specialist Dr. Kim Harmon describes sprains as an injury to the ligament, while a strain is an injury to muscle. With proper warm-ups before starting exercise, the occurrence of these injuries can be reduced.

Most general sports injuries are not gender specific, but Group Health orthopedic surgeon Dr. Howard Putter notes that girls suffer three times more ligament injuries than boys do. Researchers aren’t yet sure why, so parents and athletes need to be more alert for these injuries in their young girls. As a surgeon, Putter sees more fractures in young children (generally from falls) and performs more surgery for overuse injuries (like knee, ankle and shoulder repair) in teens and young adults.

BEWARE OF OVERUSE INJURIES

The AAP notes that up to half of the injuries seen in pediatric sports medicine are related to overuse. Dr. Chris Koutures, an AAP Fellow with a specialization in Sports Medicine, says that overuse injuries are on the increase as children’s growing bodies can’t handle the stress of too much use for their age and growth stage. Overuse results in small amounts of damage to a bone, joint, muscle or tendon due to repetitive stress without giving the body time to naturally repair itself. The injury accumulates over time showing up as pain – initially during activity, but later as chronic pain even when the child is not participating in the sport.

Harmon notes that one reason for more injuries is that more young people are specializing in one sport at an earlier age. “We used to see specialization in high school or college, but are now seeing young athletes in grade school playing one sport year-round, often at the elite or select team level,” she notes. The traditional multiple sport approach was easier on the growing body because of the different muscles predominating in different sports. While soccer puts stress on the lower body (knees and ankles), for example, softball and baseball put stress on the upper body (elbows, shoulders and back).

The benefits of exercise and sports in keeping fit and feeling good about oneself far outweigh the risk of injuries, especially if adults are aware of ways to reduce injuries. The young athlete who is healthy will develop a lifelong love for physical activity. Get your child involved in sports, but follow these tips by the experts to stay healthy.

Janice Lovelace is a Bothell freelance writer and child psychologist.

TIPS FOR PREVENTION

1. Take a break – Koutures encourages moderation in sports participation. Take one to two days off each week and a couple of weeks off a year to give the body a rest and do other things you enjoy.

2. Mix it up – Add variety to the workout and alternate work on different parts of the body. Koutures suggests swimming or water exercise once or twice a week as an alternative to the child’s regular sports activity.

3. Warm up – Harmon reminds parents to be sure stretching exercises are included before working out or playing as they increase flexibility and reduce strains and sprains.

4. Keep it fun – If your child does not enjoy the sport, he or she might not be as focused and cautious in the activity. If they are just going through the motions, they won’t take the care needed to lessen injuries. The experts recommend keeping workouts interesting and fun, with age-appropriate games and training.

5. Be safe – Harmon notes that helmets, padding, mouth gear, shoes and good equipment are things that parents can control for safer sports activities. Along with the use of proper equipment and safe playing fields, parents should seek competent coaching for their children. Don’t let your child play when injured.

6. Play by the rules – Harmon adds that adults need to make the rules clear and reinforce them. Most rules help reduce the likelihood of injuries. Parents and coaches should work to enforce safety and encourage fair play and sportsmanship.

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