Understandably, most sports injuries affect people under 40 years old. But today orthopedists are treating more children than ever. “We’re pushing our kids more at a younger age,” says Dr. Alan Tissenbaum of the Orthopedic Group at Uniontown Hospital. “We now see injuries in kids who are 12 years old and younger.”
“These kids are very competitive,” he adds. “And they’re usually playing just one sport. They’re over-training, so they become fatigued. When you’re tired, you may not land properly. You may have poor form, or poor technique.”
Concentrating on a single sport also means using the same muscles. “If you can do more cross training,” says Dr. Tissenbaum, “you can strengthen supporting muscles and help to prevent injuries.”
To that end, Dr. Tissenbaum recommends not doing one sport year-round. “We need to make sure our kids get enough rest and that they’re not doing too much at too young of an age.”
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