Mary Alice Reporting – As school sports start back up, a Sports Medicine Orthopedic Surgeon is emphasizing the need for parents or coaches to be alert for any injuries.
On average, over 3.5 million children, ages 14 and younger, are injured each year playing sports.
Dr. Miho Tanaka notes that while some student-athletes may have stayed physically active over the summer, when in actual training, any inactivity or less intense practice over the prior month could lead to some strain.
“Pain in general for young people and young athletes is not normal but they might not always tell you. Some signs to look out for could be changes in movement patterns, they may not be leading with their normal body movements, they may be slowing down a little bit, and all of these things can be red flags.”
She stresses that if an athlete is injured during play or is feeling pain then they need to come off the field or court and not risk further damage.
Tanaka adds that, for youth who specialize in one sport early, there is a risk for certain types of injury common, most notable involving constant throwing motions.
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