Youth & Kids Sports Injuries

Why Do You Need To Take Youth & Kids Sports Injuries Seriously? 

40% of all youth (children, teenager and adolescent) injuries are sports-related. Overall, male and female injury rates are becoming equal due to a gradually increasing female participation rate. Injuries related to sports participation fall into two types of trauma:

• Macro (due to a single traumatic event eg fracture) and
• Micro (due to repetitive overuse trauma).

Injuries in the young athlete are often trivialised. They are usually asked or encouraged to "toughen up and play through the pain." This approach is not in the young athlete's best interest for the following reasons:

• It often leads to delayed healing and return to sports,
• It can turn an easily treatable injury into one that becomes difficult to treat and
• In some cases, it can result in a permanent injury that precludes sports participation.

An Accurate Diagnosis is Essential

In most cases, your physiotherapist can make the diagnosis via the injury history and performing a physical examination. The adolescent's age, sex, and level of participation in sports are important. A description of how the injury occurred is valuable. Your physiotherapist will want to know if there was a "pop," swelling, history of previous injury, family history of similar injury, locking or giving way, or other signs or symptoms.

While special tests can be helpful, in certain circumstances an accurate diagnosis can be made 90% of the time by taking a good history and performing a systematic examination of the injured joint.

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Tips for Parents and Coaches

Most overuse injuries, such as stress fractures and tendonitis, are preventable. If your child suffers any overuse injury, the first choice of treatment is rest until a medical opinion can be sought. 

In young athletes, this means avoiding the activity that is causing the problem, or reducing the intensity, until the discomfort resolves. Bed rest or immobilisation are rarely needed.

• Allow kids to play at their own intensity and pace.
• Encourage your child to start getting in shape and conditioning a month before any team sports are to begin.
• Emphasise stretching and flexibility exercises.
• Make sure fields are in reasonably good condition and that protective equipment fits correctly (helmets, shoulder pads, shin guards, etc.).

Adolescents have a lot of enjoyable sporting years ahead of them. It would be a shame to see this enjoyment ended too soon. When in doubt, seek expert medical advice. It's better to be safe than sorry. In general, kids are motivated to play sports because it is fun. Parents and coaches who demand too much may be putting their children at risk.

If you'd like FREE advice regarding your child's injury please call us today at one of our PhysioWorks clinics.

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Common Youth & Kids Sports Injuries

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Common Treatments for Youth & Kids Injuries

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