Sprains and Strains

Not surprisingly, the most common injuries among young athletes are sprains and strains. Virtually all youth sports put athletes at risk for straining or spraining certain parts of their bodies, making it crucial that parents and supervising adults have a full understanding of how to prevent and treat them.

A sprain involves the stretching or tearing of a ligament, which is the tissue that connects bones or joints. A strain involves stretching or tearing of the muscle or tendon structures. Both strains and sprains can cause limited mobility, pain and swelling. If minor, they often heal quickly using the RICE technique – rest, ice, compression and elevation – followed by gradual re-use.

Early medical attention is wise for more severe cases or any injuries in which the pain is overly severe or causes complete immobility. Some strains and sprains can be serious and require medical intervention, but in many cases, these youth injuries can be treated with adequate rest and home care.

Although all youth sports present opportunities for potential sprains and strains, certain sports do carry specific risks at a higher rate than others. Below are some of the commonly played youth sports, the injuries that are typically associated with each.

Basketball – Due to the frequent movement and contact involved in basketball, many parts of the body are vulnerable to injury, including the hands. "Jammed fingers” are a frequent injury experienced in basketball because fingers and thumbs are constantly being utilized and hit through repeated catching, passing, guarding and shooting. Also common among basketball athletes are injuries to the knees, ankles and feet, due to repeated jumping and landing.

Cheerleading – Cheerleading is considered one of the riskiest sports for injury due to the athleticism and routines involved. One of the more typical injuries experienced by cheerleaders is wrist pain because weight is constantly being put on the wrists to execute flips, lift fellow athletes, and other athletic demands.

Soccer – Shin pain is very typical of soccer players. Generalized shin pain that increases over time are often referred to as ‘shin splints,’ and is usually caused by improper stretching, over-training, overuse, running or jumping, and inadequate cleats. Shin splits are marked by pain in the lower leg which worsens while running or exercising, a lingering ache that continues even during rest, and tight or inflexible calves.

Football – Damage to the ACL – the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee – is a common injury in football. Although typically thought of as an injury that damages the careers of NFL superstars, athletes as young as nine or ten have now become susceptible to ACL damage. With increasingly aggressive arena leagues and heightened competition in youth football, younger athletes are more vulnerable to ACL injury than in the past. This is particularly concerning because surgery to treat ACL can cause more lasting damage because tissue and bones are still developing.

Baseball – There has been a rapid increase in arm injuries among young pitchers, which is usually the result of overuse and improper technique. One of these injuries, "little league elbow," seems to result when the athlete winds up and uncurls the body too late before releasing the ball. Recent studies indicate that 60 percent of 11- to 18-year-olds have sustained an injury due to the repetitive motion and overuse of the elbow and shoulder.