One problem in youth sports that is beginning to surface more and more is, overuse injuries due to the over-specialization in one sport. The year-round training that it takes to perform at a high level in youth sports today is very taxing on a young body and has been linked to overuse. Not long ago, children were switching to a new sport as the seasons changed which was very beneficial to a young body's physical development. Playing different sports at different times of the year give some muscles a chance to rest while others are being worked. With year-round single sport programs those muscle and joints are used nonstop and have no recovery period. Training the same muscles year-round is believed to be the main cause of the rise in overuse injuries at a young age. The repetitive stress can cause young body's to break down and can lead to injury, especially due to the fact that often times these children's bodies aren't even fully developed yet. The main preventative action you can take is to participate in a variety of sports and allow for some recovery time. Many physicians who treat overuse injuries believe the solution is to educate the parents and coaches, so that they can see the warning signs and pull the kids before an injury occurs. Think about this when you pressure your children to specialize in any one sports.
http://www.sportsmd.com/SportsMD_Articles/id/349.aspx
Samuel Jeffers
KIN332I 2:00-3:15
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