Is "injury prevention" in young athletes a new fad?

Parents have all heard the term “injury prevention”, one which was never really used when they were playing sports as children and adolescence. And many think, “Well I was fine when I was playing sports growing up, so is this just a plot to spend more money on my child’s sport.” Let’s begin by examining the changes in sports over the last few generations.

Twenty years ago, kids played the sport that was in season. Meaning, in the spring they would play baseball or softball, in the fall they would play football, in the winter it might be basketball, and so on. It was much more common place to play a specific sport only in that sport’s season, as well as to play or be involved in more than one sport or activity. Not only was this common place, but it was encouraged. Why does that matter? Because, the young athlete’s body is not fully developed and requires a certain amount of recovery time to prevent injuries due to over-utilization of immature muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Also, allowing a developing body to experience a variety of sports is important in the overall development of muscle strength, agility, and recruitment of muscle fibers to withstand potent future injury.

Today, young athletes begin to focus on a single sport much earlier in their athletic career than ever before. And some even begin to specialize in a particular position, like pitching. Too much focus on a single physical activity too early is much too much stress on a young developing body. Although a parent may think it is the best idea to allow his or her child to have the greatest advantage in a sport, it could actually be very detrimental and potentially end any future play in that sport. The fact is young bodies are not equipped to handle the repetitive demands placed on it in today’s highly competitive sports environment. Does this mean that little Johnny cannot play only baseball? Absolutely not! However, the way young athletes train must change with the evolution of the way sports are played in today’s society thus the emphasis on injury prevention.

Injury prevention is a tool used to perfect a technique biomechanically to avoid undue stress that may lead to an injury. It is extremely important as 50% of today’s pediatric population play in an organized sport, and the rate of sports related injuries has increased significantly. Nearly 50% of all middle and high school sports injuries are related to overuse. This number is outrageous when you look at the fact that most overuse injuries can be prevented with proper training, education, and activity modifications. In conclusion, injury prevention is extremely beneficial and in my professional opinion necessary for young competitive athletes.

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