Experts attribute this increase to the fact that more youth today are specializing in one sport at an early age and training year-round. All these injuries can be linked to overuse; doing too much, too often. Gone are the days of switching to a new sport each season - the two or three-sport young athlete seems to be a things of the past as the competition, access and seasons expand to year-round.
In order to decrease the likelihood of developing these nagging, long-term injuries, experts advise parents to encourage their children to play a variety of sports and avoid specializing at a young age.
The American College of Sports Medicine has published Injury Prevention Guidelines for Young Athletes as a reference for kids, parents and coaches seeking to keep kids safe during sports.
