Rest is best prescription for young athletes’ overuse injuries, UMMC experts say

By: Annie Oeth, aoeth@umc.edu

Sports offer plenty of benefits to young athletes, but injuries can result when children and teens don’t have enough downtime, University of Mississippi Medical Center and Children’s of Mississippi experts say.

Too much of a good thing – be it baseball, soccer, gymnastics or other sports – can result in overuse injuries, said Dr. Derrick Burgess, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery.

“We see overuse injuries a lot in young athletes between the ages of 9 and 15,” he said. “These happen when athletes use the same muscle groups repeatedly, such as in the shoulder, elbow, knee or ankle, especially when there is repeated stress on the growth plate.”

Growth in youth sports programs has resulted in children and teens playing the same sport all year long and possibly playing on multiple teams instead of changing sports with the seasons or taking a few months off. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, this increases the risk of overuse injuries.

“We see athletes who are playing on a team at school, a recreational team and also a travel team,” Burgess said. “They have games or competitions with all, plus practices with those teams. With travel teams, they may have games on consecutive days. That’s a lot of baseball or soccer.”

Burgess said soccer and baseball players are particularly vulnerable to overuse injuries.

“Baseball pitchers tend to see injuries from pitching too many times,” he said. “There are times pitchers are told to rest by playing catcher, but the catcher throws the ball with every pitch.”

Other indications of overuse are changes in form or technique and not playing to normal potential, he said. It is recommended that pitchers routinely perform arm care exercises to prevent injury.

While baseball coaches follow age-based guidelines on numbers of pitches thrown, playing on multiple teams means parents should keep track of children’s throwing, he said.

Pain and swelling are the first signs of overuse. “This will increase with activity but improve with rest.”

Prevention is the best way to deal with overuse injuries. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that young athletes play no more than one sport per day and have one day of rest away from sports each week.

Some overuse injuries are treated with rest, with more severe cases requiring physical therapy or even surgery.

“Kids have to be kids,” Burgess said. “School and multiple sports or teams can be a lot for a kid to balance. Children and teens also need down time for mental health and socialization.”

Jeff Martinez, director of operations for orthopaedic surgery at UMMC, recommends a three-month break from a young athlete’s main sport.

“That’s easier said than done,” he said. “Some sports practice all year long. It never ends.”

Scheduling downtime for athletes can, in the long run, result in fewer injuries and more enjoyment of a sport, he said. “It’s normal for an athlete to want to play, but at some point, they’ve got to rest.”

To make an appointment for pediatric orthopaedic care, call 601-984-6525.

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