Bill Klaproth (Host):  It’s great to have a kid that participates in sports but with the games, comes risk of injury. So, what can be done to help prevent injuries for youth athletes? Let’s find out with Dr. Mark Wood, a specialist in Orthopedics in Sports Medicine with Wake Orthopedics. This is WakeMed Voices. A podcast from WakeMed Health and Hospitals. I’m Bill Klaproth. Dr. Wood, first off, what age related recommendations do you give parents when it comes to children participating in organized sports:

Mark Wood, MD (Guest):  There are no real concerns for starting sports at a young age. Parents should consider exposing their children to a variety of different sports early. Sports participation has a positive effect on bone and muscle health, fitness and social development. The focus should really be on teamwork, sportsmanship and exercise. Most importantly, children should be having fun.

Host:  That’s such a good point about having fun and you’re so right about the many benefits od sport’s related activity. So, is there a best way to introduce children to sports to avoid injuries?

Dr. Wood:  Absolutely. Moderation is the key and children should participate in a variety of sports in different seasons. Due to the high risk of overuse injuries; it’s not recommended that youth specialize in one sport year round or play for more than one team in a given season.

Host:  That’s such a good point about playing a variety of sports. I think sometimes parents get into tunnel vision and kids just one sport and we’re going to dominate. But that variety of sports is so important. So, when it comes to injuries, let’s talk about that. What are the most common injuries, causes and then can you share some prevention tips with us as well?

Dr. Wood:  Sure. There are two main categories of injuries. There’s acute injuries and overuse injuries. Acute injuries would be a result from a single traumatic event. An example might be an ACL tear or shoulder dislocation, maybe a broken wrist or sprained ankle. Overuse injuries on the other hand, are more subtle and occur over time due to repetitive microtrauma. Probably due to insufficient rest and recovery. The hallmark is pain without a known traumatic injury and examples of overuse injuries would be tendonitis, Little Leaguer’s elbow, shin splints or stress fractures.

Host:  All right so that’s good to know. Acute and overuse injuries and I just think of young pitchers when it comes to overuse injuries and all of that repetition on their arms. So, let me ask you this, what else is important to know then when it comes to getting kids a healthy start to sports and injury prevention as their bodies change and grow because that’s a factor as well, right?

Dr. Wood:  Sure. Not all injuries can be prevented. Most can be significantly reduced. Research has shown the injury prevention programs consisting of just simple exercise can target specific muscle groups that decrease acute injuries like ACL injuries and other overuse injuries by as much as 67%. They are simple exercises. They only require ten minutes twice a week and they can be used as defense mechanism to protect the children against injury.

Host:  So, we’re just talking about how kids are growing, and their bodies are changing when it comes to sports injuries. What about the difference in female versus male youth injuries?

Dr. Wood:  Yeah great question. There’s a growing number of ACL tears especially in young female athletes. Female athletes are actually eight times more likely than their male counterparts to suffer an ACL injury. What we know is that female athletes have modifiable risk factors and if we can get to them and teach them some simple exercises, it definitely decreases their chance to have ACL injuries.

Host:  And Dr. Wood as we wrap up, are there three basic tips you want to share with parents?

Dr. Wood:  I think the most important thing I try to teach parents is number one, moderation. And so we talked about not participating in more than one team or more than one sport during one season. Encourage their kids to enjoy sports. Try different sports and a variety of sports throughout the year and then kids who have a desire to play at a more elite level, we definitely recommend an evaluation where we can do some testing to correct modifiable risk factors to keep them healthy and injury free and away from orthopedic surgeons.

Host:  So, three really great tips that every parent should write down actually. So, think about moderation in sports with your children. Make sure your kids are enjoying their sports. Never let the pressure exceed the pleasure as they say and then for kids that are more an elite level, make sure you get them evaluated. Some really good tips. Dr. Wood, thank you so much for your time today. this has been great.

Dr. Wood:  Thank you very much.

Host:  That’s Dr. Mark Wood, a Specialist in Orthopedics and Sports Medicine with Wake Orthopedics. And to learn more about WakeMed’s Orthopedic Services, or to get connected with Dr. Wood or another provider; visit www.wakemed.org/orthopedics. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you. I’m Bill Klaproth with WakeMed Voices brought to you by WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina. Thanks for listening.