Writing Prompt #7
Injuries or Fitness
There is always controversy around youth sports. When looking at
the physical aspects of youth sports so many have different
opinions on the benefits and the long terms effects. Opinions can
range from the worries and concerns for all the injuries to how
beneficial the physical exercise are. This is one major aspect of
our semester-long project we will discuss. No parent likes to see
their child in pain. As an insurance specialist for an Athletic
Department I tend be more on the lines of it is not a matter of if
they get hurt, but more of when they get hurt. Also as the parent
of a child in youth sports I have seen my share of the inside of an
ER. Does that stop her from competing, no. Michelle Heaty writes in
a USA Today article about the amount of sprains, strains, fractures
and concussions which kids from 6 to 19 sustain while participating
in youth sports. She references a report by the Safe Kids Worldwide
group the estimated cost of these injuries are in the area of $935
million each year. The CEO and President of Safe Kids reports Far
too many kids are arriving in emergency rooms for injuries what are
predictable and preventable. The major concerns with these injuries
for the physicians are for their healing times. Research shows that
these younger athletes have longer healing times especially for
concussions. These slower healing times are because of their still
growing bodies. More studies show there is differences in genders.
Girls tend to show higher chances for injuries. We are still
looking into it, trying to see if there are really genetic
differences, differences in play, or differences in biomechanics,
but we dont have that link yet Sports Medicine physician Kathryn
Ackerman, who is the co-director of the Female Athlete Program at
Boston Childrens Hospital.(qtd. In Healy, Michelle)There is also
the concern regarding overuse injuries or chronic injuries. A
sports medicine physician Neeru Jayanthi at Loyola University
Medical Center in Chicago reports about 25% of which end up being
serious. (qtd. In Healy, Michelle) He also says Overuse injuries to
tendons bones and joints can result from playing the same sport and
performing the same movements to often, too hard or at too young an
age with inadequate recovery time. Strength and conditioning is
becoming the most important injury prevention. Jayanthi also
recommends better practice scheduling. Reports on youth sports
where the athlete practices more hours a week than the age of the
child is 70% more likely to suffer from a chronic injury. Its not
all bad news; there are plenty of good, healthy benefits to youth
sports, such as weight loss, reducing the risk of Osteoporosis,
improving stamina and endurance along with flexibility. Seems
obvious there would be weight loos, just the movement alone helps
to burn calories. The American Heart Association reports one in
three children are overweight or obese. This can be eliminated with
a good diet and exercise. High impact or weight-bearing activity
has proven to improve bone density. This is good news for females
who may be at a high risk for Osteoporosis. According to the
National Osteoporosis Foundation 25% of men will fracture a bone
during their senior years, half of all women will (qtd. in
Ashe-Edmunds, Sam).Stamina, Endurance and Flexibility to me are
just added bonuses from a healthy workout routine. The more youths
work out the better cardiovascular stamina and muscular endurance
they will have. This is a benefit for other activities. Most
children who play sports also participate in an after practice
stretch. This helps with their flexibility and movement, this will
be a huge help for their movement on and off the field. Both sides
of this argument have valid points. This is a topic I struggle with
myself having a child in a very competitive sport. How do you know
as a parent when to step in and say enough is enough? If you have a
child who enjoys the sport and you see all the benefits that sport
brings to their life both in school and in a social environment.
How do you stop them from participating? How many injuries are too
many? You know going into a sport your chances of getting hurt are
high. You know the risks and may have signed an Assumption of Risk
Waiver. You try to claim denial and think it wont happen to you or
your child, but again it is not if it is when. In the end, was all
the pain and broken bones worth it? This is one aspect of your
project we will investigate. As we interview our former youth
athletes we will learn was it worth it for them. Would they change
anything about their experience in youth sports?
Works CitedAshe-Edmunds, Sam. "What Are the Health Benefits of
Playing Youth Sports?" LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 28 Jan.
2015. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.Healy, Michelle. "1.35 Million Youths a
Year Have Serious Sports Injuries." USA Today. Gannett, 06 Aug.
2013. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
