The article I spoke about last time also provided some interesting information about overuse type injuries. An article written last year for Safe Kids Week stated that 2 in 5 parents know how much safety training their children’s coaches have had. All coaches reported they wish they had more training, especially when it comes to head injuries and heat illness. Half of the coaches surveyed think there can be “some head contact without potential injury”.
Of more significance to us at ProActive Physical Therapy, 9/10 parents underestimate how long children should refrain from or take a break from any 1 sport to protect them from overuse, overtraining, and burnout. Overuse injuries occur slowly over time due to repetitive micro-trauma to the tendons, joints, and bones. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Orthopedics Society for Sports Medicine were surveyed for Safe Kids and reported that half of these injuries are avoidable. Our bodies have an internal process called remodeling. It involves the break down and build up of tissue.
There is a fine balance between the two and if breakdown occurs faster than build up, injury occurs. Children need to take 2-3 months away from a specific sport to avoid these types of injuries. This will keep their bodies from doing too much of the same activity and not allowing their body time to recover. We are experienced in treating these overuse injuries as well as looking at our patients as a whole person to help determine if a muscle imbalance or mechanical deficit may be contributing / or giving a predisposition to these overuse injuries.
Now, taking a break from a specific sport doesn’t mean lay down and be a couch potato. Although most parents probably couldn’t get their athlete children to do that if they tried! It does mean that it would be good to do some cross training, try something new, or play another sport during a break from their number 1 activity. Culturally, there is an attitude that injuries are a natural consequence of sports and good athletes “tough it out” when they suffer an injury. That does not have to be the case and that attitude is hurting our kids.