DR. RODNEY HERRIN: The number of injuries seen in young athletes is increasing at an alarming rate. Younger athletes are often presenting with more serious injuries. I see this in my clinics at Memorial's SportsCare, and it's a trend that's being noticed nationwide. There are several reasons for this. But, more important, there are new ways to address the problem.
This near epidemic rise in injuries was troubling enough to members of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine that an initiative was started to combat the problem. The program created is the STOP Sports Injury Campaign. (STOP is an acronym for Sports Trauma and Overuse Prevention.)
Orthopedic surgeons involved in sports medicine, such as myself, are seeing a concerning increase in injuries in our young athletes that in the past were primarily the problem of the older or "professional" athletes. There are two trends being noted. First, the number of youth injuries is reaching epidemic proportion. Second, youth are experiencing overuse injuries at a younger and younger age. The campaign is designed to help those involved with these young athletes - whether they are parents, coaches or healthcare professionals - learn more about the prevention, treatment and concerns of overuse and trauma injuries.
The program was launched on April 1. It has been supported by business professionals and professional athletes alike. Much more can be learned about this extremely important program at STOPSportsInjuries.org.
Injuries at this time of year come in two general varieties - acute injuries and overuse. Common spring sports include baseball, soccer and track. Areas that may raise concern can be related to the type of sport. Complaints of shoulder or elbow pain in a baseball player should be taken seriously as should complaints of leg pain in a soccer player.
For example, enforcing a pitch limit in Little Leaguers can go a long way in reducing the number of shoulder and elbow problems that occur. This type of information as well as other valuable information is available at the website.
In addition to referring to the STOP website, here are some things to help keep your kids as free of injuries as possible this spring. Prevention is the best step. Some of the keys to avoiding injuries this time of year are:
Again, it is worth emphasizing the importance of playing sports pain-free. Most significant, remember to keep sports fun. If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact us at Memorial's SportsCare.
Dr. Rodney Herrin, MD, is the medical director of Memorial's SportsCare and an orthopedic surgeon at the Orthopedic Center of Illinois in Springfield. He is a member of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine.
