Potential For Youth Sports Injuries On the Rise

Expert insight from Webster Orthopedics surgeon, Dr. Thomas W. Peatman

Youth sports provide young people with several benefits, some of which include physical conditioning, the chance to socialize with friends and teammates, and a decrease in obesity. Unfortunately, there can be several risks involved with participation in athletics. Dr. Thomas W. Peatman, sports medicine and total joint replacement surgeon at Webster Orthopedics, provides insight on preventing youth sports injuries.

Participating in athletics can be a great way for children to get exercise and learn about teamwork and discipline. However, sports can also come with injuries, both the obvious, like broken bones, and the less obvious, like tendonitis.

“In hopes of achieving their dreams, children may push themselves or feel pressured to play sports at competitive levels at a young age, sometimes choosing multiple sports to participate in and sometimes participating in the same sport year-round,” Dr. Peatman says.

As one sports season ends, another one begins, and for some children, their season never ends as camps, leagues, and competitions continue year-round. This does not allow time for a child’s growing body to rest and recuperate, resulting in more chronic overuse injuries among children.

Knee ligament tears of the ACL and meniscus are the most common injuries Dr. Peatman treats in young athletes. He attributes the increase in ligament injuries to the intense, competitive level of athletics children participate in, beginning at an early age.

“Twenty years ago, children were not playing sports at such intense levels,” explains Dr. Peatman. “As a result, their bones, joints, and muscles rarely had to endure the kinds of repeated twists and hard hits that young players regularly experience today.”

Dr. Peatman says rest is always best between sports, but if your son or daughter suffers an injury, it’s important to treat it appropriately from the beginning to help them return to play safely.

If an injury is keeping your son or daughter off the playing field or court, consult with a doctor right away. The doctors at Webster Orthopedics are dedicated to providing experienced, specialized treatment for any bone, joint, or muscle injury or condition.

Since 1939, Webster Orthopedics and its highly trained orthopedic specialists have provided Bay Area residents with excellent treatment and care for virtually every bone, joint, and muscle in the body. Through the practice’s five convenient locations, Webster Orthopedics offers care for sports medicine, spine (neck and back), hand and elbow, shoulder, hip and knee, foot and ankle, joint replacement, fracture care, pediatric and young adult sports medicine, open MRI, high field MRI, hand therapy, sports physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture care, and sports concussion management. Webster Orthopedics proudly serves as the official sports medicine providers for Granada High School and Livermore High School. For more information on Webster Orthopedics and its specialists, visit www.WebsterOrthopedics.com.