By: Dr. Benjamin Domb, M.D., Founder, Medical Director & Orthopedic Surgeon at The
American Hip Institute & Orthopedic Specialists, special to SportsMD.com
How Common are Sports Injuries in Youth?
When parents think about their kids’ sports teams and participation in athletics, snack days, carpools, and trophies are likely what comes to mind. In reality, children and teen athletics aren’t all fun and games. According to USA Today, over 3.5 million children under the age of 14 are treated for sports injuries annually. Rates are alarmingly high for high school athletes as well, with an estimated two million injuries, 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitalizations a year. Luckily, many common youth athletics injuries can be prevented with a few simple adjustments.
How Can Youth Athletes Stay Proactive and Safe?
It’s important for kids to be active and engaged in sports from a young age, but it is just as vital to ensure kids are physically fit enough to safely play the sport. Of course, all types of sports have a potential for injury, whether it be from the trauma of contact with another player or from overuse or misuse of a body part.
To stay safe on the practice field and beyond, youth athletes should consider playing a variety of sports and rotating between seasons. Not only is this beneficial for a child’s athletic ability long-term, but to their health as well. When kids rotate between sports, they are working different muscles and not overusing specific body parts.
In addition, it’s critical to recognize injuries and treat them as early as possible. Athletes tends to brush off or avoid their injuries because they don’t want to take time off, commonly known as the “play through the pain” philosophy, which causes more harm than good. Parents must recognize these injuries and have their children diagnosed and treated by a doctor before continuing with sports.
What Parts of the Body are Impacted by Sports Injuries?
While an injury can occur in any part of the body, it’s important to first differentiate between the type of injury, as some might not be so obvious on the surface. Injuries are often prompted by muscle or tendon strains from overused muscles, increased physical activity or inadequate training.
Occasionally, children may suffer from an injury due to their body undergoing rapid growth and the high levels of stress spread across their joints. Regardless of the cause, kids’ short-term injuries should be taken seriously in order to prevent long-term consequences.
What about the Hip?
Hip injuries are often related to weak glutes, but can also be caused from hip impingement, a torn labrum, cartilage damage or even fractures. Exercises such as squats, bridge pose and others can help strengthen the gluteus muscles. Additionally, foam rolling daily will make children and athletes of all ages less prone to injury by enabling their hip flexors to loosen and relax.
What is the Proper Treatment for Kids Sports Injuries?
Treatment relies on a precise and immediate diagnosis of the injury. It is highly encouraged for children to meet with clinicians who are well-trained to perform physical examinations with specialized diagnostic tests, to ensure that proper treatment protocols are put in place. It’s also up to schools to implement injury prevention protocols to adequately prepare students for athletics. The first step for injured children often involves taking a break from playing sports and utilizing an exercise-based physical therapy. As they say, rest is nature’s best medicine.
Dr. Benjamin Domb, M.D., Founder, Medical Director & Orthopedic Surgeon at American Hip Institute & Orthopedic Specialists, is on a mission to cure hip pain by pioneering the most advanced, comprehensive and non-invasive medical solutions. Based in Chicago, AHI offers a range of cutting-edge techniques in Hip Arthroscopy, Robotics, Resurfacing, and Regenerative Medicine. For more information or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Domb at American Hip Institute & Orthopedic Specialists, visit: www.americanhipinstitute.com.
