Potential For Youth Sports Injuries On the Rise

Participating in athletics can be a great way for children to get exercise and learn about teamwork and discipline. However, the sports medicine doctors at Heartland Orthopedic Specialists say sports can also come with injuries, both the obvious, like broken bones, and the less obvious, like tendinitis.

In hopes of achieving their dreams, young athletes may push themselves or feel pressured to play sports at competitive levels at a young age, typically choosing multiple sports to participate in. As one sport ends, another one begins, and for some teens, their season never ends as camps, practices, and leagues continue year-round. This does not allow time for a young athlete's growing body to rest and recuperate, resulting in more chronic overuse injuries among teens.

“Twenty years ago, teens were not playing sports at such intense levels,” explains Dr. Eric W. Nelson, sports medicine doctor at Heartland Orthopedic Specialists. “As a result, their bones, joints, and muscles rarely had to endure the kinds of repeated twists and hard hits that young players regularly experience today.”

Rest is always best between sports, but if one of your athletes suffers an injury, it's important to treat it appropriately from the beginning to help them return to play safely. If an injury is keeping an athlete off the playing field or court, please call (320) 335-6078 today to schedule an appointment with one of the sports medicine doctors at Heartland Orthopedic Specialists.