Overtraining Little Athletes
With many kids playing and training for organized sports with
an intensity once reserved for top-level athletes, doctors are
learning more about the lasting impact sports injuries can have
on kids' health.
Concussions have become a major concern, particularly in high
school football, girls' soccer, and basketball, prompting the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop a
program for coaches, parents, players, and doctors to help them
spot signs of concussions. Doctors have also sounded an alarm about
overuse injuries like shin splints and Little-League elbow, which
have emerged as kids continue to specialize in sports at younger
ages. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued prevention
guidelines and recommended, among other things, that kids play a
variety of sports and take adequate time off between seasons and
training sessions.
What To Watch:
With new evidence of how widespread and damaging youth sports
injuries can be, many parents might have to examine whether
they're allowing kids to push too hard to excel at sports. With
this growing awareness, there could be a return to the fundamentals
of youth sports - helping kids learn sportsmanship
and teamwork; helping them develop a lifelong love of physical
activity; and, most important, letting them have fun.
For Kids:
Five Ways to Avoid Sports Injuries
Concussions
Taking the Pressure Off Sports Competition
For Teens:
Sports and Exercise Safety
Dealing With Sports Injuries
Handling Sports Pressure and Competition
Concussions
For Parents:
Concussions
Preventing Children's Sports Injuries
News - AAP Offers Advice for Kids' Sports Safety
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Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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