As the weather gets warmer young athletes prepare for new sports, but these new sports bring different injuries.
Springtime sports injuries often have more to do with overworking and mental burnout, and this is something that parents and coaches need to look out for, according to Kaiser San Leandro physical and rehabilitation doctor William Moore.
Moore specializes in sports medicine, and he said that sports injuries happen year round. However, the injuries typical of fall sports tend to be caused by key events, whereas spring sports injuries are a result of continued strain.
“In the fall, football has its own injuries, but they tend to be more traumatic. We see broken bones. We see [injuries to] torque ligaments.” Moore said. “When we get into spring, sometimes it’s more soccer, tennis or perhaps baseball. A lot of times those sports can have some traumatic injury, but a lot of times they become what we call overuse injuries.”
Moore said that these injuries are especially prevalent in areas where children are still growing, citing joint injuries as overuse of areas where “bones haven’t fully formed together yet.” Specifically, he sees a lot of ankle, knee and elbow injuries as a result of spring sports.
“Kids maybe don’t get the rest they need, or they don’t get the nutrition they need, and then things start to kind of unravel,” Moore said.
Moore said that these overuse injuries, as a result of overworking muscles, can indicate mental burnout because it means they are pushing themselves beyond their own capabilities.
“The child may be doing too much,” Moore said. “That can have a lot of implications about their love of the sport and their enjoyment of the sport.”
He said that it’s great for children to be active, but he does not recommend more than one sport a day or more than six days of exercise weekly. Moore also said that it’s important that children find their activities personally fulfilling.
And it’s important for parents and coaches to be aware of these limitations and avoid pressuring young athletes.
“Talk when you have children competing in sports has become so adult-driven,” Moore said. “Winning becomes the major focus. And it needs to be reframed that it’s really about learning life skills. It’s about having fun. It’s about learning to enjoy sports.”
Moore said that while doing your best is important, it does not always mean winning. It’s important to teach children to listen to their bodies and ask for help when they need it.
“Sometimes we’re taught to push through the pain, if it’s not bleeding or broken, keep fighting and play. But that’s a mistake,” Moore said. “It’s ok to say that you’re hurting.”
This kind of open communication, alongside proper warm-ups and conditioning, keeps children safe and happy, Moore said.
