Over-Training Can Injure Kids For Life
Doctors Suggest Caution With Children's Activities
It's good for kids to be active, especially with childhood obesity on the rise, but as NBC5's Dr. Deanna Lites reported, some children are overdoing it and ending up with injuries that could affect them the rest of their lives.
Justin Smith is very active.
"I play soccer, baseball, (and) basketball," 11-year-old Justin said.
"He has enough energy for five people and he's in enough sports for five people," his mother, Michele, told NBC5.
And already, Lites reported, at his young age, it's starting to catch up with him.
Justin said he has pain in his knee and back.
"I just wonder if that wear and tear on his knees will hurt him later on in life," Michele Smith said.
Dr. Eric Small specializes in sports injuries in children, or pediatric sports. He said childhood injuries have changed over the years.
"Three quarters of the injuries are now overuse or repetitive injuries," Small said.
"Which means they're doing too much, too soon, too fast."
Not only are there more overuse injuries, but doctors say they're happening in younger patients.
"Ten, fifteen, twenty years ago you'd only see them in college athletes and special athletes. Now we're seeing the same injuries in 8, 10 and 12-year-olds," Small said.
Young kids are especially at risk, according to Lites.
Take Justin's knee, for example. At the ends of the bones are soft tissues called growth plates. An injury there can mean trouble later in life.
"An adult twists their ankle, they sprain their ankle. A child twists their ankle, they break the growth plate in their ankle. That bone can stop growing or can grow improperly," said pediatrician Dr. Jordan Metzl.
Lites said that the two major signs of trouble are:
pain so bad they can't play
and swelling.
But doctors say you can head off trouble by having your child stretch even before casual play. Children can also benefit from weightlifting.
"Kids can do weightlifting and they can do most of the things that adults can do," Metzl said, "just with much lighter weights."
Another way to help avoid overuse injuries is to have your child cross train by playing different sports, Lites reported.
One day, the child can play soccer which stresses the knees and ankles. Another day, he or she can try tennis to work the upper body.
Justin Smith is very active.
"I play soccer, baseball, (and) basketball," 11-year-old Justin said.
"He has enough energy for five people and he's in enough sports for five people," his mother, Michele, told NBC5.
And already, Lites reported, at his young age, it's starting to catch up with him.
Justin said he has pain in his knee and back.
"I just wonder if that wear and tear on his knees will hurt him later on in life," Michele Smith said.
Dr. Eric Small specializes in sports injuries in children, or pediatric sports. He said childhood injuries have changed over the years.
"Three quarters of the injuries are now overuse or repetitive injuries," Small said.
"Which means they're doing too much, too soon, too fast."
Not only are there more overuse injuries, but doctors say they're happening in younger patients.
"Ten, fifteen, twenty years ago you'd only see them in college athletes and special athletes. Now we're seeing the same injuries in 8, 10 and 12-year-olds," Small said.
Young kids are especially at risk, according to Lites.
Take Justin's knee, for example. At the ends of the bones are soft tissues called growth plates. An injury there can mean trouble later in life.
"An adult twists their ankle, they sprain their ankle. A child twists their ankle, they break the growth plate in their ankle. That bone can stop growing or can grow improperly," said pediatrician Dr. Jordan Metzl.
Lites said that the two major signs of trouble are:
Another way to help avoid overuse injuries is to have your child cross train by playing different sports, Lites reported.
One day, the child can play soccer which stresses the knees and ankles. Another day, he or she can try tennis to work the upper body.
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