Routinely I am asked questions about children and sports. Yes, kids should play sports, multiple sports. It is safe for growing bodies to play sports, just not the same one year-round. Kids playing only one sport are more likely to be the ones I treat at my clinic due to repetitive strain injuries. Some of these are severe enough to warrant surgery at the age of 12.

As a former Division-I athlete, I understand full well the toll athletics can put on the body, but also know there are ways to minimize injury risk by taking proper care of your body. This proper care involves diversifying the strain on the muscles and joints (i.e. playing multiple sports) as well as proper strength and flexibility training once a child is old enough. I would not recommend a focused strengthening program for anyone under the age of 12 and a very cautious program during early teenage years. Starting an aggressive strengthening program too young can be dangerous for the growing body, particularly the joints/tendons and result in lasting effects.

I do not like what I see in youth sports today. Kids, who are supposed to be having fun experimenting with athletics and learning many valuable life lessons are being pushed into one sport by coaches and parents. This is not right on many levels, but I will emphasize ones that result in them on my clinic’s table.

Repetitive stress on growing bones, joints, muscles, and tendons can impact not only their ability to play sports, but affect their daily lives. Osgood- Slaughters, patella-femoral stress syndrome, little leaguer’s elbow, rotator cuff injuries and shin splints are all injuries I have seen in youth because of repetitive strain. Most if not all are avoidable.

So the question becomes what to do if your child develops an injury playing sports. First, consult a medical professional. A coach or even school trainer may not be best qualified to make a sound assessment. Second, rest and proper rehab are necessary, so listen to medical advice. You risk the future more by not letting the body heal properly than just not playing one season or missing a few games. It is time to make kids understand this message. Next, realize that coaches want healthy athletes, not ones who are injury-prone. Finally, encourage kids to play multiple sports to diversify the strain on their body thereby reducing risk of injury.