Youth sports have a number of benefits, from keeping in shape to helping develop social skills and teamwork. However, there are also drawbacks. The more a child plays a sport, the more likely they are to develop an overuse injury. In fact, according to the University of Connecticut, children are actually at a higher risk of overuse injuries because their bodies have not fully developed. If improperly treated or ignored, overuse injuries can continue all throughout adolescence and even into adulthood. Luckily, 3D Sports Medicine offers treatment for a wide variety of injuries related to overuse.
Which sports cause overuse injuries?
The first contributing factor to overuse injuries isn’t related to a specific sport at all. The American Academy of Pediatrics writes that children are playing sports more often—and more intensely—than ever before. The more often they train or play a sport, and the fewer rest days they take, the more likely they are to develop an injury. Coming up with a medically-approved regimen is essential for preventing an overuse injury.
In their article on the dangers of overuse, UC writes that the most common major sports that put kids at risk of injuries related to overuse or overtraining are baseball and gymnastics/cheer. These sports have the highest amount of repetitive use (e.g. throwing a baseball, practicing gymnastics, tumbling, etc.). They therefore should be the most highly monitored for signs of repetitive stress or injury.
Where 3D Sports Medicine comes in
Overuse shouldn’t be the end of the road for kids playing sports. There are plenty of ways to treat these types of sports injuries to prevent them from happen again. Or at the very least reduce the frequency of recurring injuries. Be sure to call 3D Sports Medicine at the first sign of a sports injury in your child. Never continue playing with an injury. Dr. Dominguez specializes in injuries related to the wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, and knees, the most common problem areas related to overuse. Injuries stemming from repetitive stress or overuse generally don’t require surgery, but if it’s the only option, then we use the latest minimally invasive techniques to treat the injury. For extreme sports injuries, Dr. Dominguez can also perform full or partial knee replacements, or other joint replacements, some of which with robotic assistance.
For a full list of the injuries we treat at the clinic, please refer to our Sports Medicine service page.
