Doctors specializing in sports medicine urgent care have observed a concerning trend. There has been a surge in adolescent patients presenting with overuse injuries in youth sports. Nearly half of the common sports injuries seen at urgent care centers come from overuse rather than the more familiar sprains, fractures, and concussions. OrthoOIC should be your first stop for sports injuries when you need a Great Falls orthopedic walk in clinic.
About 37% of children in the United States play organized sports. With age, the demand for year-round, intense, competitive training increases. For years, youth sports have seen a shift in specialization in a single sport. And with technological and scientific advances, there has been growth in training regimens. Unfortunately, there has also been an increase in overuse injuries in youth sports, as seen at our Great Falls orthopedic walk-in clinic.
The vulnerability of children and young teenagers to overuse injuries is because they are still growing. Many professionals caution against specializing in a single sport before age 14. Common sports injuries are more prevalent in children who focus on multiple seasons of a single sport. Another leading factor in overuse injuries in youth sports is that young athletes return to the field before a prior injury fully heals. At OrthoOIC, we see that any common sports injuries lack proper recovery, therapy, and appropriate injury prevention.
To help prevent overuse injuries, we should create healthy limits, encourage routines, and give appropriate rest. Warm-ups and whole-body stretches are essential before each training session. The American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness advocates limiting organized training to five days per week, with one day off, and recommends a two to three-month break between seasons for recovery.
When kids suffer from common sports injuries in Northern Virginia, you can get the help you need at a Great Falls orthopedic walk in clinic. As a sports medicine urgent care center, we recognize overuse injuries. If a child experiences persistent pain or dull aches lasting more than three to four days during or after sports activities, visit OrthoOIC for your orthopedic immediate care.