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Prevent Overuse Injuries in Young Athletes this Fall

football, team training, men's health, weight loss, fitnessMany overuse injuries in young athletes can be prevented with simple communication.

Teaching young athletes to let their coach or parent know if they’re having any type of pain can help prevent an undiagnosed injury from becoming more severe.

Unfortunately, many young athletes are not aware that it’s easy to develop an overuse injury, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

During this time of year, it’s pretty common for athletes playing football, volleyball and soccer and participating in cheerleading to sustain an injury. In 2013, roughly 882,000 football-related injuries occurred in children 5 to 18 years old, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Nearly 434,000 children had soccer injuries. Cheerleading accounted for close to 100,000 injuries while there were more than 94,000 injuries related to playing volleyball.

“Overuse injuries are the most common type of sports-related injuries,” said AAOS spokesman Dr. Michael S. George, who specializes in sports medicine. “Often times, the initial aches and pains felt during the progression of an injury are overlooked by young athletes.”

To help reduce and prevent the number of sports-related injuries reported every year, the AAOS recommends the following tips:

  • Have a pre-season physical examination and follow your doctor’s recommendations.
  • Warm-up and cool down properly with low-impact exercises like walking or cycling.
  • Consistently incorporate strength training and stretching. A good stretch involves not going beyond the point of resistance and should be held for 10-12 seconds.
  • Hydrate adequately to maintain health and minimize muscle cramps. Waiting until you are thirsty is often too late to hydrate properly.
  • Keep an eye out for unsafe play surfaces. Playing grounds should be in good condition.
  • Don’t play through the pain. Speak with an orthopaedic sports medicine specialist or athletic trainer if you have any concerns about injuries.
  • When participating, wear protective gear such as properly fitted cleats, pads, helmets, mouth guard or other necessary equipment for the selected sport.
  • Play multiple positions and/or sports during the off-season to minimize overuse injuries.
  • Pay attention to weather conditions such as wet, slippery fields that can lead to injuries.
  • Avoid the pressure to overtrain. Listen to your body and decrease training time and intensity, if pain or discomfort develops. This will reduce the risk of injury and help avoid “burn-out.”

Source: AAOS news release

+ Learn about the Bon Secours Sports Performance’s Injury Prevention Program. Our program is built to screen for the deficiencies that cause pain and incorporate corrective exercises to allow your body to move more functionally and efficiently. Our program uses the tools that the NFL, MLS and many professional athletes are using to increase the quality of everyday life.

+ Find a certified athletic trainer through Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System Primary Care Sports Medicine.