One of the biggest issues in the field of pediatric orthopedics today is
the alarming number of sports-related injuries among children. While
some of these injuries are an unavoidable part of play...
One of the biggest issues in the field of pediatric orthopedics today is
the alarming number of sports-related injuries among children. While
some of these injuries are an unavoidable part of playing contact
sports, the majority of them can actually be prevented. One type of
injury is acute, meaning it is the result of a single event. This type
is a natural occurrence in sports, especially when they involve full
contact with other players. Examples include shoulder dislocation, ankle
sprain, or leg fracture. The best way to avoid acute injuries is
through proper training and technique in whichever sport the child is
playing. The other type of injury is called overuse.
Overuse injuries occur over time when a child participates in sports too
much. When children play a variety of sports during different times of
year, overuse injuries are less likely. This is because these children
put strain on different muscles, bones, and joints with each sport that
they play, so no single area is being overworked. Unfortunately, more
and more children are concentrating on one sport all year long, leading
to more overuse injuries. One reason that a child may devote so much
time to one activity may be excessive pressure from parents to become a
star athlete. Some parents even begin training their child in one sport
when he or she is only six months old. In their efforts to decrease the
number of sports-related injuries, many pediatric orthopedic doctors are
trying to educate parents, coaches, and athletes about overuse.
These professionals warn people of the dangers and long-term effects of
overuse injuries. While adult athletes are susceptible to the same type
of injuries, their bodies are fully developed and therefore better able
to recover from overuse. However, even professional adult athletes take
time off to avoid these injuries. Growing children still have growth
plates, which are areas of tissue around their joints. Eventually, bones
replace these growth plates when the body finishes developing. Growth
plates are weak compared to the rest of the skeleton, and injuries can
cause abnormal bone growth or deformities later on. Overuse injuries can
cause arthritis problems as the child reaches adulthood. They can also
cause the child to be unable to play a certain sport for the rest of his
or her life. Healthcare professionals in the fields of pediatric
orthopedics and sports medicine are trying to reduce the overwhelming
amount of overuse injuries among children.
One of the largest efforts to prevent these injuries is the STOP Sports
Injuries campaign. Initiated by the American Orthopedic Society for
Sports Medicine, this campaign utilizes media outlets, public service
announcements, brochures and fact sheets, and numerous other tools to
raise awareness about overuse injuries. Leaders and members of the
campaign also participate in local community events throughout the
United States. They warn parents and coaches that too much pressure to
succeed at a certain sport can cause a child to keep quiet when he or
she is experiencing pain. Part of the campaign’s educational materials
focuses on the warning signs that parents and coaches can look for to
spot an injury. Almost all injuries are better treated when they are
detected as early as possible. In pediatric orthopedics especially,
identifying and treating an injury quickly can prevent associated
problems for the child later in life.
