Five Things You Should Know About Your Young Athlete

There are numerous benefits to participation in organized sports that are leading to a growing number of Americans participating in athletics at younger ages. Although the rewards are resounding, there are a few things you should know about your young athlete to help keep them healthy and happy.

1. Specialization
   Children are “specializing” in one sport earlier in life. Year round participation in one activity at too young an age can cause muscular imbalances and undue stress on children’s bodies. The American Academy of Pediatrics published a mission statement in 2000 and 2009 warning parents about the risks that specialization pose in young athletes.

To avoid these risks:

• Engage your child in a variety of activities
• Encourage athletes that participate in year round sports to have a set “off-season” to allow their body time to recuperate.
• Choose coaches that have the proper education and experience for your child’s level of experience.
• Discourage kids from playing on multiple teams and specializing at too young an age.
2. Injuries
   The most common reason adolescents drop out of sports is due to injury. Approximately 50% of injuries in young athletes are due to overuse injuries. Injuries at a young age that are not managed properly can discourage your child from participation in sport and exercise throughout their lifespan.

To prevent overuse injuries:

• Do not advise your child to “play-up” or playing on a more advanced team. Even though their skills may warrant playing on a more advanced team, their body may not be mature enough to handle the stresses of advanced play.
• Limit participation in “competitive” or “select” teams if your child is not skeletally mature. You should consult your pediatrician to determine your child’s ability to participate in a more advanced level of play.
3. Practice
   62% of all sports injuries occur in practice. Often the coaches, parents, and students do not take the same safety precautions in practice as they do in the games. Be sure your athlete is following all current safety guidelines for his or her sports and age level.

To prevent injuries during practice:


• Encourage proper warm-up
• Wear all necessary safety equipment and make sure it fits properly.
• Have your student athlete practice with the same discipline they would in the game.
4. Skeletal Maturity
   Children’s bodies are not just a smaller version of an adult body. Their body is very different from adults therefore their response to exercise and injuries are also different to those athletes that are over the age of 18.

Some things to know about your child’s skeletal maturity are:

• Ligaments are stronger than bone in children and adolescents. There is a greater amount of spongy bone in children. The bone does not increase density and fully mature until after adolescence. This puts our young athletes at higher risk for fractures and overuse injuries associated with their skeletal systems.
• Bone grows faster than soft tissues. This can lead to tight tissues and changes in your child’s balance as they grow. This is also one explanation for “growing pains.”
• Each growth plate in your child’s body fuses at a different rate. The growth plates close between ages 8 – 18 and usually close first in the hands and feet. Until the growth plate fuses or ossifies, they are at greater risk for injuries at these growth centers especially with the high forces often produced during impact sports.
• Your child’s nutrition and sleep patterns greatly affect their overall health, healing rates, and incidence of injury.
5. Stress
   Physical stress is not the only type of stress injuring young athletes. Student’s eagerness to please coaches, parents, and peers often leads to undue stress on their growing bodies. Some psychological and emotional factors you should take into consideration with young athletes include:
• Young Athletes often consider their sport as part of their identity.
• They tend to be more focused on the present than the future.
• Life issues such as sexuality, body image, grades, schoolwork, fear of failure or disappointing adults are some of the emotional stresses that affects their athletic ability.

If you have a young athlete you should work with your pediatrician to determine the appropriate level of activity for your child. In the case they do become injured children often heal much faster than adults, however you should still consult with your child’s physician or physical therapist to be sure they do not return to play too early. Premature return to play after injury can result in recurrent injuries.

About Tegan Johnson-Galvez, D.P.T., C.C.I.
Tegan is experienced in orthopedic physical therapy, vestibular rehabilitation, TMJ dysfunction, and lymphedema care. She encourages her patients to incorporate their rehabilitation and fitness goals into their daily activities. Tegan uses a multitude of treatment techniques including but not limited to manual therapy, Pilates-based exercise, therapeutic exercise, manual lymphatic drainage, multilayered bandaging, taping techniques, custom orthotic evaluation, habituation exercises, gait training, sports specific injury prevention, and postural education. At home, Tegan is a wife and mother of three very active and healthy children.