With fall sports underway, I want to encourage our athletes, parents, and coaches to encourage their athletes to participate in multiple sports when possible. A recent Pediatrics study following children and teens who were highly specialized in a single sport had 81% increased odds of having overuse injuries, compared with those with low sports specialization, and 18% higher than those with moderate sports specialization. The findings, based on a review of five studies involving nearly 5,600 youth athletes ages 18 and younger, also showed a 39% higher overuse injury risk among those with moderate sports specialization, compared with those with low specialization. That being said the more versatile your athlete is, the least likely they are to suffer from an overuse injury. Let your kids play multiple sports when interested, specialization is over-rated!
Sarah Caudle, PA-C
