To Play or Not To Play
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To Play or Not to Play: Considering Youth Sports Participation
Summary
For families with children in youth sports, life can revolve around games and practices. These activities can strengthen family bonds, but are kids starting too young or doing too much? While there’s no clear-cut answer, one key concern is the risk of injury.
Assessing the Risk of Injury
Parents often worry about whether younger children are more vulnerable to serious injuries, especially before they fully develop. Questions arise: Is it risky for kids to start pitching at age 7 instead of 9? Should children avoid tackle football until a certain age? Does focusing on one sport increase the chance of injury due to overuse?
Injuries are a serious concern. According to USA Today's Kids Health supplement, over 3.5 million sports-related injuries in children under 15 require treatment annually. While many injuries come from playgrounds and biking, organized sports also contribute. Notably, 40% of sports injuries occur in kids under 14, with more than half happening during practices rather than games.
Common Injury Types
According to Dr. Deiter Lindskog of Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, repetitive use injuries in youth sports are on the rise. Studies show 30-50% of pediatric sports injuries result from overuse, affecting boys and girls equally. Since children aren’t fully developed, they face risks like stress fractures, growth plate injuries, and soft tissue damage.
The underlying question is: How much is too much? Specializing in one sport year-round or participating in multiple leagues can push kids beyond safe limits, though research on exact thresholds is limited.
There’s no evidence that starting younger in sports like Pony League Baseball increases injury risk compared to starting later, as in Little League Baseball. In fact, studies on Pop Warner Football indicate that younger players might have fewer injuries than older ones, partly due to weight restrictions.
Conclusion
It’s crucial for those involved in youth sports to be vigilant about safety and injury risks. Kids specializing in single sports or participating in multiple leagues face heightened risk of overuse injuries. Watch for signs like pain, changes in gait, performance fluctuations, and psychological effects. Children shouldn’t be pressured to play through injuries to avoid disappointing teammates or parents.
Preventing injuries involves proper training and conditioning. Encourage kids to compete at skill-appropriate levels and focus on mastering fundamentals early on, as mechanical errors can lead to injuries. As youth sports enthusiasts, it’s our responsibility to prioritize children’s well-being.
About the Author
Ken Kaiserman is the president of SportsKids.com, a leading youth sports website offering games, news, and camp directories. Ken also coaches youth football, basketball, and baseball, and serves on local Little League and Park Advisory Boards.
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