Sports Injuries and Children

In the United States, about 30 million children and teens participate in some form of organized sport. According to the National SAFE KIDS campaign, more than 3.5 million children ages 14 and under receive medical treatment for sports injuries each year. The majority of these injuries are from falls, collisions, overexertion or being struck by an object, and they usually occur during unorganized or informal sports activities.

Death among children during participation in sports activities is rare. Brain injury is the leading cause of sports-related death.

Obviously, some sports are more dangerous than others. For example, contact sports such as football can be expected to result in a higher number of injuries than a non-contact sport such as swimming. However, all types of sports have a potential for injury, whether from the trauma of contact with other players or from overuse or misuse of a body part. Listed below are some sports injuries that are common in the growing child, for which we have provided a brief overview.

Statistics

Prevention

Overuse Conditions

Sprains and Strains

Tennis Elbow

Dislocations

Heat-Related Illnesses (Heat Cramps, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stroke)