Prevention of pediatric overuse injuries is highly important, as upwards of fifty percent of pediatric sports injuries that are seen in clinics are chronic conditions.1 These overuse injuries lead to missed playing time, recurring injury, and possibly the athlete’s total refrain from activity, resulting in a sedentary lifestyle. Another issue that may result from pediatric overuse injury is the development of growth-related disorders such as Osgood-Schlatter disease, Sever disease, or other apophyseal injuries.2
One of the best ways, if not the best way, for identifying at-risk athletes for pediatric overuse injuries is the pre-participation physical exam. The history and musculoskeletal portions of the exam are key for screening athletes who are susceptible to overuse injuries. The musculoskeletal portion of the exam should be used to determine physical stature and maturity, as well as deficiencies in strength and flexibility. Musculoskeletal assessments should include range-of-motion tests, manual muscle tests, joint stress tests, flexibility tests, and balance tests, all of which should be compared bilaterally.
In order to decrease incidence of overuse injuries in pediatric athletes, it is the responsibilities of the coaches and officials to be well educated in the rules, as to make sure the athletes are participating correctly.1 Proper supervision by coaches and medical staff decreases the likelihood of injury. All athletes, coaches, parents, and officials need to be educated in the signs and symptoms of overuse injuries so that these signs are not ignored.
Pediatric athletes should establish a good fitness routine in order for their bodies to be able to tolerate the physical demands of sport participation. As a general foundation of fitness is established, training loads may gradually increase. This will help ensure that the athlete’s body can tolerate the work load.1 Simultaneously, incorporating a prevention program has been shown to reduce the number of sports-related overuse injuries. Generally, programs that show success with reducing the amount of pediatric overuse injuries incorporated strengthening, neuromuscular control, flexibility exercises, balance, and technique training.
It is theorized that athletes that specialize in sports before puberty are at higher risk for injury, as there is constant, repetitive forces placed on the same body part.1 Similarly, athletes that play multiple sports but that target the same parts of the body are also at higher risk of injury. Pediatric athletes should be diverse in the sports they participate in, as this will help the athlete maintain a high level of physical activity without repetitive micro-trauma to the same body part.
REFERENCES:
1 McLeod, T., Decoster, L., Loud, K., Micheli, L., Parker, J., Sandrey, M., & White, C. (2011, March 1). National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Prevention of Pediatric Overuse Injuries. Retrieved October 3, 2015. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3070508/
2 Overuse Injuries. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2015. http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/pediatrics/overuse_injuries_90,P02779/
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