| Those of us with kids involved in youth
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| | frequency of injury equal among boys and
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| sports know how consuming it can be for
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| | girls." Because they're still not fully
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| our families. Weekends are dominated by
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| | developed, kids are more susceptible to
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| games and weekdays by practices. The ties
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| | repetitive use problems like stress
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| that bond us together are often tightened
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| | fractures, caused by use without enough
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| during these activities, but do our kids
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| | recovery time, growth plate injuries, due
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| do too much too soon? When many of us
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| | to excess strain, and soft tissue damage
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| were kids, there were not nearly as many
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| | to muscles, tendons or ligaments.
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| organized activities; now that we have
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| | This would lead to the question of "how
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| martial arts, religious studies, team and
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| | much is too much? The research on this
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| individual sports, family time and, of
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| | isn't clear at all. With increased
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| course, homework. Is there a right time
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| | specialization where kids participate in
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| to start to play or not to play? Like
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| | only one sport year round, start playing
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| many parenting decisions, including those
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| | at a younger age and participate in
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| for youth sports, there are no black and
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| | multiple leagues at once, what is clear
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| white answers. Of the many variables to
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| | is that many are crossing that unknown
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| consider, this month we'll focus on the
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| | line.
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| potential injury risks.
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| | While there is a tremendous amount of
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| What is the likelihood of Injury?
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| | flexibility in these recommendations, the
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| A common concern is that younger kids
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| | main issue is that care should be taken
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| may be more susceptible to severe
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| | to watch for signs of trouble. There is
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| injuries before they have fully
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| | no evidence to suggest a higher injury
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| developed. Is there a greater risk of arm
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| | rate for Pony League Baseball, which
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| damage for kids who start pitching at age
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| | often starts kids pitching at age 7, when
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| of 7 instead of waiting until they are 9?
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| | compared to Little League Baseball, which
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| Should kids avoid tackle football until
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| | often starts kids pitching at age 9.
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| the reach a certain age? Does
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| | Studies done with Pop Warner Football
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| specialization in an individual sport
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| | players also show that there is a risk of
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| increase the risk of injury for that
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| | injury, but surprisingly, younger players
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| child due to overuse and make them more
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| | are less likely to be injured than older
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| susceptible to continuous motion
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| | players. Supported by studies done by the
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| injuries?
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| | Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic
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| Injuries are certainly a concern for all
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| | Trauma in New York which completed a
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| of us and the risk of injury is
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| | study in 71 towns covering 5,000 players,
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| considered a growing problem by many
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| | the Pop Warner Website ( states that
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| experts. According to the "Kids' Health"
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| | because of the weight restrictions
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| supplement in the October 18-20, 2002
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| | "injuries in youth football are normally
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| weekend edition of USA Today, there are
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| | mild and older players have a higher
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| over 3.5 million sports related injuries
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| | injury rate than younger players."
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| that require treatment reported each year
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| | Conclusion
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| for kids under 15 years old. Many of
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| | As people involved in youth sports we
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| these injuries are from playground
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| | need to be aware of safety and injury
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| equipment, bike riding and other
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| | risks associated with the children we
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| activities, but organized youth sports
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| | watch. Kids specializing in single sports
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| certainly contribute to the total.
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| | or playing in multiple leagues have
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| Fortunately, there are very few deaths,
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| | exacerbated the risk of repetitive motion
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| but the information suggests that 40% of
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| | "overuse" injuries. We need to be
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| all sports related injuries occur in
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| | especially aware for these young athletes
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| children under 14 years old and more than
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| | and be cognizant of the warning signs.
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| half of those injuries take place in
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| | Some things to watch for include pain,
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| practices instead of games. In 2002, from
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| | changes in gait or other observable
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| information accumulated from the
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| | behavior, changes in performance and
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| "Connecticut Safe Kids Sports/Recreation
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| | psychological effects. Kids should not be
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| Activity Injury Fact Sheet".
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| | encouraged to play through any real
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| While this data is certainly misleading
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| | injury because they don't want to let
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| and flawed because it doesn't break down
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| | down their parents or teammates even
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| the number of participants in each sport,
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| | though they may feel like they can do it.
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| the frequency of the activity or the
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| | We want to help prevent injuries through
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| severity of the injury, it does
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| | proper training and conditioning. An
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| demonstrate that injuries are something
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| | effort can be made to have children
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| we should pay attention to.
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| | compete at levels commensurate with their
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| Types of Injuries
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| | skill so that they don't overdo it.
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| In the newsletter published by the
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| | Furthermore, efforts must be made to
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| Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital,
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| | teach proper fundamentals for all aspects
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| pediatrician Deiter Lindskog, MD exclaims
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| | of the game since mechanical errors are
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| that the largest increase in youth sports
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| | more likely to lead to flaws that can
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| injuries are due to repetitive use. He
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| | cause injury. Because practice makes
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| states "Recent studies estimate that 30
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| | permanent, it is crucial to work on these
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| to 50 percent of pediatric sports
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| | fundamentals even at an early age.
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| injuries are caused by overuse, with the
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