9 replies to this topic

[leftfieldlegacy]

Dr Andrews continues to bang the drum to reduce preventable injuries in young athletes. He is the chairman of a new organization, STOP Sports Injuries, which provides some great educational materials for athletes, parents, coaches and healthcare professionals.

STOP stands for Sports, Trauma and Overuse Prevention. While everyone acknowledges that injuries are an expected, if not unfortunate, byproduct of sports participation, this movement targets those injuries that can be prevented. The AAOS reports that overuse injuries account for nearly half of all injuries sustained by middle school and high school athletes. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) estimates that half of such overuse injuries are preventable. With the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimating that high school athletes alone account for approximately 2 million injuries per year, this means that nearly 500,000 injuries could be prevented annually, just within the high school population.

The Home page has a video interview by Orthopaedic Physical Therapist Stephania Bell with Dr Andrews, John Smoltz and Sam Bradford. They all emphasize the need to delay specialization by young athletes and by example, Smoltz and Bradford report that they played multiple sports through high school.

Fighting the perception that kids need to focus on one sport early in their development in order to be successful is just one of several myths the STOP campaign is trying to debunk. In fact, Bradford sees it as a detriment.
"I hear kids say all the time, they've played one sport since they were like 8 years old," Bradford said. "I just think they're missing out on so much."

To those who argue that kids need to focus on a single sport in order to have a chance at a college scholarship or a professional sports career, these athletes say otherwise.
"It's not that we're against playing baseball. We're against playing baseball 12 months out of the year, or even 10 months out of the year," Smoltz said. "By no means am I discouraging kids to play, but there has to be a transition into either another sport or some rest time to allow you to recover from that current sport."

Personally, I love the fact that someone with Dr. Andrews' credibility and high profile has chosen to undertake this as his "cause". Its also nice to see that this organization is not limiting itself to just baseball or football injuries.

To help keep kids in the game for life, STOP Sports Injuries targets the sports that have the highest rates of overuse and trauma injuries. Check out our helpful tip sheets to learn about how to stay safe when playing sports.
Baseball Injury Prevention
Basketball Injury Prevention
Cheerleading Injury Prevention
Dance Injury Prevention
Football Injury Prevention
Gymnastics Injury Prevention
Running Injury Prevention
Soccer Injury Prevention
Softball Injury Prevention
Swimming Injury Prevention
Tennis Injury Prevention
Volleyball Injury Prevention

[wasavendor]

I coach a high school soccer team in the area and I have been saying this for years. The days of the 3 sport athlete are over. 90% of my players play soccer year round, against my advice. They go from the HS season, which is generally Monday through Friday from August to November. During this time they play club soccer on the weekends. After the season, they go to tournaments in warm weather/mid atlantic states. Then it is time for indoor soccer/futsol in the various facilities around Massachusetts for a few months. Spring and summer bring more club soccer and town leagues, some kids play both. August generally brings about captains practices which are at least 4 nights a week. I have noticed the types of injuries these kids have are injuries that weren't prevalent when I played in the 90s, not that long ago. Their knees are wrecked, they have bad backs, their shinsplints are severe and constant, and many use orthotic shoe inserts for their feet. I personally plead with my guys to at least take December and January off from Soccer. I tell them to play hoops or run indoor track, or get a job. It all falls on deaf ears for the exact reason stated above, too much emphasis on "making it big" or getting a scholarship. What they are forgetting is that if they are too worn down to get on the field, they won't play anywhere.

Had a sophomore on my team this year, awesome athlete. Started in soccer, and lacrosse and was a top swimmer. When I asked him about his upcoming swimming season he told me he was going to pass on it because it used a different set of muscles than his lacrosse season. He didn't want to be lean and ripped from swimming and then bulk up for lax. I told him how absurd this was and that as long as he was fit and using his core, he could play any sport he wanted at any time. He didn't listen, last I heard he was playing indoor soccer. Did I mention he has horrible shinsplints and swimming would probably be the best thing for him? This is an issue for parents and their knowledge of the damage that overuse and specialization are doing to their kids' bodies. As a coach all I can do is give advice during the season, and I do.

[Fred not Lynn]

I probably sound like broken record when I post about the evils of early specialization on here - but it's that important an issue.

There's not a whole lot of actual voiced opposition to the stated thought that early specialization is bad, but there's almost no practical planning in youth sport to discourage it. Youth sports organizations pay all kinds of lip-service to Long Term Athlete Development principles, especailly in Canada - but when they design their programs, it's "business as usual". Organizations don't schedule to accomodate the multi-sport athlete, and he's often derided by his peers and sometimes even coaches for a lack of commitment to a particular sport.

One problem is that in the short term, early specialization yields results. Kids who do one sport all year, get better, faster at that sport. It's hard, as a parent and a child, to patiently know you're doing the right thing and that long term success will follow, while getting beaten regularly by early-specializers.

Hockey, as an example, is really bad here. Canadians are obsessive about the sport - and it's not healthy. The most damaging part of the whole system is that the MOST IMPORTANT event in a player's season is the September evaluation, where he's placed on a team for the whole season. Early specializers who played summer hockey, and went to camps in August will be in mid-season form for evaluations - kids who played baseball, won't be...and will get downgraded for the whole season because they weren't 100% up to speed at the very beginning.

What we really need is organizations similar to what they had for youth sports in the Soviet Union, and German Democratic Republic; You didn't sign up for "baseball", or "soccer", or "hockey". You joined the local youth sports club, and learned everything - like a glorified extra-curricular gym class. Sure, there were sinister elements to the system, especially as the athletes got older - but the fundamental concept of developing general athleticism and physical literacy in young people before developing them as players of a particular sport was and still is very sound.

What we ought to have in North America, for say 4-12 year olds, is something like "Sport Scouts"...where you sign up and just do EVERYTHING - without any affiliation to a particular sport.

Alternatively, additinoally, a much more comprehensive phys-ed program at schools, with option for those who want more to do more, would be nice too.

I also think that the issue shouldn't neccesarliy be about "year round" participation. I think shifting of balance is enough - maybe in summer, you're playing baseball 3-4 days a week, and getting on the ice for hockey once a week - and then in winter, you shift that, and say hit the batting cage 1-2 x a week for 30 min, while having hockey games/practices 3-4 x a week. There is something to be said for at least keeping "in touch" with a given sport in it's off-season so that you don't need to re-learn skills when you ramp it up again.

[SoxFanSince57]

I am a poster dad for fucking up a kid's pitching arm. My son got a serious elbow/bone injury in middle school from over use. It cost him everything in the sport. He was told he would never be able to throw again. He shut it down for 2 years and the injury miraculously healed (I credit time, luck and acupuncture). But it was too late to return to high level competition. He stopped playing and became a very good power lifter.

I agree with the thrust of the thread (obviously), but for me (looking at baseball) I would recommend two things to kids/dads. First, IMO it is fine to play and practice baseball year round, BUT the player has to shut down from throwing for at least 2 months (Nov-Dec) and probably 3 months (Nov-Jan). Do not throw a ball during this time period. If the kid wants to play year-round, I find no physical dangers in taking swings almost all the time. I do not have a problem with specialization at an early age, but there should be strings attached to avoid physical and emotional breakdowns.

Second, integrate weight training into the teenager's routine around 14-15 (light weights) and then get serious in HS. Building explosive power and core strength (particularly the posterior chain) is critical to advancing to the college level and very, very helpful in minimizing injuries. In addition, enroll middle-schoolers/early HSers in a program that teaches kids "how to run". There are programs conducted by x-NFL/x-elite runners that teach/re-teach or retool kids' running skills/mechanics. Good "players" must spend time developing muscles and must spend time learning to sprint by developing the proper techniques of running. These two activities are physically intense and take a good chunk of time. They invariably cut down on the amount of time the child/teenager plays his/her preferred sport. So while he/she will continue to play year round, the hours spent on weights and running will give the player time to re-coup his/her emotional energy for his/her dream sport.

Also, if you have a daughter, she has to adopt an exercise/weight training program so that she can avoid ACL injuries which are epidemic for girls/women in ALL sports (not just basketball). Women are MUCH more susceptible to ACL injuries (because of their hips) and MUST engage in exercise/training programs that will build their muscles AND will teach them how to run, jump and land. My daughter was an elite softball player. She tore her ACL while decelerating into second base on a double (totally typical of the way the injury occurs). She was in very good shape and a good runner, but hadn't engaged in weight training to build her supporting muscles in her legs.

Edited by SoxFanSince57, 08 June 2010 - 08:45 AM.

[Fred not Lynn]

I do not have a problem with specialization at an early age, but there should be strings attached to avoid physical and emotional breakdowns.

I'd be interested to hear what the "strings attached" should be. I'll bet when you get down to it, they're pretty much the same as avoiding early specialization. Certainly the things you've mentioned in your post are part of a well rounded young athlete's development. The easiest way, for instance, to learn how to run correctly, is to join a track club. Sure, you could just "take lessons", but since you're learning the ropes - why not run a few meets. The mental skills you learn in one sport are almost always transferable - why not learn to embrace and enjoy competing whenever you can?

Also - I don't have issue with pretty much year-round contact with a given sport or two. I have issue with year-round, full-time emphasis on one sport at the expense of all others. I think it is important to maintain some touch with any sport at least maybe once or twice a week through an off-season, but I think it's mentally important to have balance and periodization - a sense of when you're trying to be your BEST at a given sport, so you can learn the mental and physical skills of resting and peaking.

I DO know that the mentality at an early age of "I'm a [insert sport here] player, and [insert sport here] is my life" is NOT the correct way to raise a young athlete. Balance and well roundedness is.

[SoxFanSince57]

I'd be interested to hear what the "strings attached" should be. I'll bet when you get down to it, they're pretty much the same as avoiding early specialization. Certainly the things you've mentioned in your post are part of a well rounded young athlete's development. The easiest way, for instance, to learn how to run correctly, is to join a track club. Sure, you could just "take lessons", but since you're learning the ropes - why not run a few meets. The mental skills you learn in one sport are almost always transferable - why not learn to embrace and enjoy competing whenever you can?

Also - I don't have issue with pretty much year-round contact with a given sport or two. I have issue with year-round, full-time emphasis on one sport at the expense of all others. I think it is important to maintain some touch with any sport at least maybe once or twice a week through an off-season, but I think it's mentally important to have balance and periodization - a sense of when you're trying to be your BEST at a given sport, so you can learn the mental and physical skills of resting and peaking.

I DO know that the mentality at an early age of "I'm a [insert sport here] player, and [insert sport here] is my life" is NOT the correct way to raise a young athlete. Balance and well roundedness is.

I encouraged my kids to play sports. My three oldest all played a variety of sports. One ended up playing basketball and softball. One played softball and basketball, but decided to drop basketball to my chagrin in HS, because she wanted to concentrate on softball. The boy wrestled, played baseball and wanted to play HS football (but the coach was a dirt-bag so he quit), but played baseball all the time (daily). I think giving kids the opportunity to try different sports is the way to go. They need to find their own way and they need to decide their own path. IMO, that is the fundamental; exposure and choice. The choices and direction they make are their own. (I was brokenhearted that one daughter wanted to drop out of travel basketball and only play one sport in HS, but I could only muster a few encouraging words about playing basketball in HS until she cut me off.)

I agree with the essence of the thread that over specialization at too early an age can cause physical and emotional burnout. IMO, the emotional burnout is often caused if the choice and push comes from the parent(s) and not from the child. As I said above, over use of a limited set of muscles at any age causes injury. Time away is critical. Shutting down for 3 months is more than sensible.

The strings attached reference I posed above had to do with enforcing a down period, inserting time for weights and physical training so as to help the body build balance and strength--just game playing and practicing causes an imbalance in physical development that often leads to injury.

We may however disagree with the "need" to play other sports once in HS. If the factors I presented are addressed, I am fine with the kid focusing on one sport if that is his/her choice. I am of the opinion that parents shouldn't force the issue one way or the other. Parents need to be vigilant about the amount and duration of physical stress children may put on their growing bodies and guide the child so that his/her body is not damaged. In the case of my son, I let him throw year round and should have stepped in and shut him down. In the case of one daughter, I should have "forced" the issue of weight training so that her body had the muscles/strength to minimize the chances of an ACL tear. If that daughter had played softball and basketball in HS, I would bet she still would have had her knee injury.

If a child wants to run track, that is great, but running track on a HS team is a full time commitment. IMO, the child will not be in position to run HS track and still practice/play his/her desired sport. IMO, it would be a huge mistake to try to double up the way you seem to indicate in your post. That would crowd out education or goofing around time. (I don't think you meant what I am understanding from your post, because I respect your POV about balance and rest.)

Edited by SoxFanSince57, 08 June 2010 - 05:02 PM.

[Fred not Lynn]

If a child wants to run track, that is great, but running track on a HS team is a full time commitment. IMO, the child will not be in position to run HS track and still practice/play his/her desired sport. IMO, it would be a huge mistake to try to double up the way you seem to indicate in your post. That would crowd out education or goofing around time. (I don't think you meant what I am understanding from your post, because I respect your POV about balance and rest.)

A few comments;

1.) The REAL problem with early specialization is when it's really early. Long Term Althete Development (LTAD) principles suggest a real multitude of sports for kids under 12. Once they hit 12-13, or the "learning to train" phase, narrowing down to three sports which the athlete competes in is the general recomendation. By the time an athlete is in high school, it's a different situation - by then they're in the "invesment" phase, where true commitment can pay off a lot...and playing three sports at an equal level is pretty much impossible. I think two is very doable if schedules allow, especially if real core athletic skills were well developed in earlier years.

In other words we appear to disagree on the subject, but only because you're talking about high school kids and I'm talking about pre-teens. Other issue is you're seeing it through the lens of high school sports being the primary avenue of participation - it's not like that in Canada. Thee are very low key high school teams, in a pretty limited number of sports (and no, there is NOT High School hockey in the US traditional sense in Canada)...but the real serious players are in club programs.

2.) Lots of sports organizations give a lot of lip service to their adoption of LTAD - Until they actually create programs which really make muti-sport participation pretty difficult. In other words, sports organizations are talking the talk of encouraging multi-participation, but they're not walking the walk by scheduling their programs in such a way to facilitate it in practice.

A further problem in this is that a lot of premier youth sports programs are run as for-profit ventures, and every evening Johnny Jr. takes off one sport to play another is an evening that the guy who runs the program he's in doesn't get Johnny Sr.'s money. Personally, I applaud and encourage more professionalism in youth sports coaching, programming and instruction - but this real, economic disconnect does need to reconciled somehow. I TOTALLY love seeing coaches and instructors be able to provide their services as trained, experienced specialists, and do it for a living, even if it is a little awkward when there's a financial disincentive to do what is best for the athlete...

[SoxFanSince57]

Agreed. Thanks for the informative and thoughtful posts.

[leftfieldlegacy]

Also, if you have a daughter, she has to adopt an exercise/weight training program so that she can avoid ACL injuries which are epidemic for girls/women in ALL sports (not just basketball). Women are MUCH more susceptible to ACL injuries (because of their hips) and MUST engage in exercise/training programs that will build their muscles AND will teach them how to run, jump and land.

You're right about this. There is a lot going on with female athletes during landing that differs dramatically from what happens in males during the same activity. Compared to males, female athletes have been found to land with a straighter knee position (causing increased ground forces passed up through the knee), an increased valgus (knock knee’d) position of the knee upon landing, and inadequate hip muscle strength. All of these have been linked to the dramatically higher rate of non-contact ACL injuries sustained by female athletes. The strengthening of the hips, lower back and abs should be encouraged to help stabilize the pelvis, hips and knees during these activities. Also important, is instruction in how to land properly. It is possible for female athletes with weaker lower body muscles (compared to other female athletes) to improve their landing ability significantly just from a brief instructional program. The combination of strength training and motor learning both play a role in injury prevention.

[leftfieldlegacy]

One problem is that in the short term, early specialization yields results. Kids who do one sport all year, get better, faster at that sport. It's hard, as a parent and a child, to patiently know you're doing the right thing and that long term success will follow, while getting beaten regularly by early-specializers.

Patience is the key word here. Given the escalating injury rates in kids who are early specializers, attrition will work in favor of the multi-sport athlete. Also, when 8 to 12 year old kids play only one sport, many are bound to get bored with that sport eventually. It is not natural for kids that young to play one sport exclusively year round. Can you imagine telling a 10 year old he can only play the same video game for an entire year. I have to believe that burn out rates will be very high in this group. Hopefully, when it comes time to play in high school, the multi-sport athletes will have caught up.

IMO, early specializers are being driven by an over zealous parent (probably the dad). I can't know what their ultimate agenda is, but I suspect it is an eventual college scholarship (or whatever the equivalent of that is in Canada for hockey players.)