SPECIALIZING IT CAN WAIT “He dropped out, he’s only playing basketball now,” said the 10-year-old, speaking of a buddy, to his parent. 10-years-old? There’s no doubt that kids are “specializing” in one sport younger than they used to, but is that a good idea? At least one recent study says that it’s not, and that early specialization brings with it a higher chance of injury. The study, out of Loyola and Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, enrolled 1,206 athletes ages 8 - 18 who had either come in for sports physicals or treatment for injuries. Different types of sports were looked at. More than 850 injuries were seen — including more than 550 overuse injuries such as stress fractures (when tiny cracks are in the bone), elbow ligament and injuries to cartilage and underlying bone. Athletes who suffer serious overuse injuries spend an average of 21 hours per week doing physical activity, including 13 hours in organized sports. Athletes who were not injured spent an average of about 18 hours per week doing physical activity, including only about nine hours in organized sports. Speaking of child athletes, lead researcher Neeru Jayanthi, M.D., said, “Just the fact that you chose to only do one sport and do that the entire time is in and of itself a risk. And that’s simply by using the same muscle groups and stressing the same parts of the body over and over again with no breaking.” Jayanthi’s tips for preventing youth athletes’ injuries include: • Not specializing in one sport until late adolescence.
TOP QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS At what age is it appropriate for my child to join team sports? It’s a good idea to wait until your child is 6 years old before beginning team sports, notes the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In addition to age, parents should consider weight, size and emotional development. Allow your child to participate in making the decision; he shouldn’t be pushed into a sport that he isn’t physically or emotionally ready to handle. On the other hand, if he has a strong interest in a sport, then it may be reasonable to allow him to get involved earlier than age 6.
What if my child tells me he wants to quit playing? Start by gathering information. There are many reasons why a child may decide to stop playing. Find out if his quitting is caused by inadequacy, stress, frustration or not getting along with teammates. While you should take his feelings seriously, you may want to encourage him to “stick it out” for the season at least. However, if you decide the experience is triggering more negativity than growth, consider allowing him to change sports or quit altogether. If it’s not fun, stop.
How should I choose which sport to get my child involved in? The AAP suggests that you consider the following factors in deciding on a sport: • Your child’s physical and psychological maturity • How much emphasis is placed on performance? • Quality of the program and coaching • Spectator behavior • Risk of injury • Necessary equipment and its cost
Is it all right for boys and girls to play on the same team? Before puberty, boys and girls are equivalent in size and weight, so there’s no reason why they shouldn’t play together. After puberty, boys gain an advantage in both strength and size. The AAP recommends that boys and girls older than 12 should no longer compete against each other in the interests of safety.
• Not spending more than twice as much time playing organized sports as you spend in a gym or unorganized play.
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