Early Specialization in Young Athletes

Did you know?? “Specialized” High School Athletes More Likely to Report Hip and Knee Injuries⠀

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Say what??! ⠀

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The study was small, but the results lined up with what many health care professionals (including us at ASTF) have been saying for years: young athletes who specialize in a single sport may be at a higher risk for injury.⠀

In a study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine (Prevalence of Sport Specialization in High School Athletics: A 1-Year Observational Study-February 26, 2016), "highly specialized athletes were more likely to report a history of overuse knee or hip injuries."⠀

"There are so many great aspects to sports participation, and we don’t want this information to scare athletes or parents," said study author David Bell of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in a press release from the university."We just want them to be wise consumers and to participate as safely as possible."⠀

At ASTF we see the ramifications of sports specialization quite frequently. If we can, we typically encourage athletes of all ages to diversify their exercise to avoid injury, but it can be particularly important for young athletes.⠀

According to physical therapist Sue Falsone, PT, ATC, MS, the former head physical therapist for the Los Angeles Dodgers, in an interview with Move Forward Radio (Avoiding Baseball Injuries-May 8, 2014), "Sometimes we ask the immature body to do things that they just physically can't handle. And even if you're getting through it at that time, it's usually something that might break down later on."⠀

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Have questions about this? Call us anytime to discuss or schedule an in-person fitness assessment. We would love to be your provider to help your child continue their athletic career safely. ⠀

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