Protect Them Bones, Them Bones, Them Young Bones - New Report Says Education Is Key To Reducing Sports Injuries In Young Athletes

Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Bones / Orthopedics
Article Date: 18 Jul 2007 - 1:00 PDT


A new study out in the June 2007 Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons shows early recognition and preventive regimens could drastically reduce the number of sports related injuries to America's younger athletes. The number of injuries could drop if all young athletes were required to have a medical and sports participation history and physical examination. Parents, coaches and physical therapists should also be educated about musculoskeletal injuries and the mechanisms that contribute to them.

-- 30 Million Children nationwide participate yearly in organized sports, everything from Football to Gymnastics.

-- An estimated 1.8 Billion Dollars is spent each year on athletic related injuries.

According to Joshua B. Frank, MD, an orthopaedic surgery fellow at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, the bodies, muscles and bones of children are still growing. "These children are often involved in multiple sports and intense competition," said Dr. Frank. "They also can lack fully developed complex motor skills in puberty and may demonstrate a temporary decline in coordination and balance, contributing to their injuries. Each child has various athletic abilities and often engages in athletic activities unsupervised." A variety of factors can contribute to sports specific injuries including:

-- Poorly Fitting Or Unsafe Equipment

-- Overly Intense An/Or Unsupervised Training

"For example," said Dr. Frank, "studies have shown that the use of BREAKAWAY rather than traditional bases in recreational softball can decrease the rate of injury sevenfold." In another report, female gymnasts (averaging in age from 12 to 26 years) who trained more than 16 hours per week had a significantly higher rate of back injury. Playing technique may also be related to injury, particularly in "cutting sports," when children move back and forth or side to side too quickly.

Injuries which may occur in young people who are still growing or have an immature frame include:

-- Fractures

-- Muscle Sprains, Strains And Contusions

-- Knee Injuries: Including Patellar Dislocations, Acl Injury And Fractures

-- Overuse Injuries

The authors feel there should also be appropriate medical coverage available at sporting events with the availability of first aid and CPR. Coaches, parents and trainers should be educated on injury prevention and strategies, including year round conditioning and fitness programs. Young athletes often downplay their injuries as not to be sidelined. This often leads to a delayed diagnosis (after the season) and a worse outcome. Proper supervision and officiating, adequate hydration, safe weather conditions and field or surface for play should be ensured. Children should not be fatigued and take the proper time to warm-up and stretch prior to participation.

For simple injuries (overuse, muscle strain and contusions) treatment can include rest, ice, gentle range of motion exercises with the gradual addition of functional exercises and return to play. More comprehensive treatments, such as arthroscopic and open surgery are often necessary for more complex injuries like dislocations, fractures and certain types of muscle and tendon ruptures.

Additional Authors of the study include: Gregg J. Jarit, Jonathan T. Bravman, and Jeffrey E. Rosen.

About the AAOS

An orthopaedic surgeon is a physician with extensive training in the diagnosis and nonsurgical as well as surgical treatment of the musculoskeletal system including bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and nerves.

The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS) is a publication of the 30,000-member American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons ( http://www.aaos.org) or ( http://www.orthoinfo.org), the premier not-for-profit organization that provides education programs for orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals, champions the interests of patients and advances the highest quality musculoskeletal health. Orthopaedic surgeons and the Academy are the authoritative sources of information for patients and the general public on musculoskeletal conditions, treatments and related issues. An advocate for improved patient care, the Academy is participating in the Bone and Joint Decade - the global initiative in the years 2002-2011 - to raise awareness of musculoskeletal health, stimulate research and improve people's quality of life.

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