How to Prevent Sports Injuries in Young Athletes

In addition, the National Athletic Trainers Association recommends youth athletes have a minimum of two days off per week from any organized sports activity.

Injury-Prevention Training Programs

Warming up with light exercises and dynamic stretching is important before intense physical activity, as are strengthening and increasing the flexibility of sport-specific muscle groups.

Cross-training and warm-up programs have been developed for most sports, and many are available online. These programs are designed to prepare young athletes for play and reduce injuries. For example, FIFA 11+ and the Prevent Injury and Enhance Performance (PEP) program have been shown to strengthen legs, support knees and reduce ACL injuries in running-and-cutting sports like soccer. 

“For throwing sports, there’s the Thrower’s 10,” said Uquillas. “It’s a set of 10 exercises throwers can do to help increase strength around the rotator cuff and around their core, and it helps decrease the risk of shoulder and elbow injury.”

Hydration and Nutrition

When training for less than an hour, water is sufficient to keep athletes hydrated. Over an hour, Gatorade-type drinks with sugar and electrolytes are best. Stay away from sugar-free options, as the carbs are needed to replenish those being used in exercise.

Keep any snacks healthy. Donuts, muffins, potato chips and other fatty foods low in nutrients are a poor idea for athletes trying to get and stay fit.

“Sliced oranges are perfect for halftime. Give them a little hydration and a little something sweet, and let them go forward,” said Zaslow. “And chocolate milk is a great recovery beverage. It’s got the carbohydrates you need, it’s got some protein, and it’s got electrolytes naturally in it.”

Uquillas says vitamin D deficiency can be a problem, even in sunny Southern California. Vitamin D helps the body build bones and keeps them healthy. He suggests parents discuss supplementation with their pediatrician.

Keep Sex Differences in Mind

Once puberty begins, boys and girls may be susceptible to different kinds of injuries.

Female athletes are at greater risk of ACL tears and other ligament and tendon injuries, such as ankle sprains. Hormones may contribute to this problem by making women’s tendons and ligaments more flexible than men’s. Women’s wider pelvis can also put more stress on their knees.

For this reason, it’s particularly important for female athletes to strengthen the supporting muscles around the knee.

Growth-plate injuries are a little more common in boys because their growth plates harden into bone later than those of girls. Boys also tend to grow more muscle after puberty, which places greater stress on the joints. Improving flexibility can be key to reducing injury risks.