Are Youth Sports a Problem

By: Justin Neal, FNP-C, MSN

Being a huge NBA fan, I watched most of the games closely, and I could not help but notice all the major Achilles tendon ruptures that occurred. There were 3 high profile Achilles injuries occurred in the playoffs and impacted the way the playoffs ended up.  There have always been major ligament injuries in all sports, but the rise of major tendon injuries is concerning. But why are they happening and what can be done to help keep this number from going up? Overuse is typically associated with these types of injuries and it seems to be the root of these injuries. However, is it because, the players were in the playoffs and playing extra games at a high level or are they a result of the work put in during youth sports and through their younger years to get to the level of being a professional?

Focusing on the youth sports period, we all want our children to stay active, and youth sports is a great way to accomplish this.  The activity is great for their overall health, mental wellbeing, and social growth.  These children typically start off playing many different sports.  As they start to get older, coaches begin to put pressure on them to focus in on one sport.  This is because travel sports have gone from being a 3–4-month commitment to being a 9–12-month commitment.  This extended commitment makes it very difficult to play more than one sport. 

This is important to note, as studies have shown that playing multiple sports as a child is more beneficial in the long run, than compared to focusing on a single sport year-round.  A Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta study showed that children, age 12 or younger, that specialize in one sport, with specialization being considered playing a sport from 8 months or more per year, are more prone to both burnout and overuse injuries at some point as they get older.  Those children that focus on multiple sports as they grow, have been shown to have a 24% chance of a major lower leg injury, which includes both the Achilles tendon and the quad/patellar tendon, while those that specialize have a 46% chance of suffering a major lower leg injury (Kroll Jr. MD, 2025).  A similar type of phenomena can be seen with elbow injuries, which have increased in frequency among Major League Baseball pitchers.  Children that play multiple sports are typically more athletic, which makes sense as different sports will work and strengthen different muscles. 

In the end, some parents and coaches will look to force children to focus on a single sport, as they feel that will be what helps them get to the next level.  Putting in as much time and effort into becoming the best in a particular sport, is what many things that it takes to go as far as possible in their sport.  While, this may get them there, it can put their bodies at risk of major injury or prone to additional mental stress.  The major lower leg injuries being seen with professional basketball players, along with the increase in elbow injuries among professional baseball pitchers, just go to show the importance of allowing children to continue with multiple sports as long as possible.  Being more athletic and at a lower risk of a major injury, is more than enough of an incentive to support your child to stay active with as many sports as possible for as long as possible.

References

Kroll Jr. MD, J. S. (2025). Why Kids Should Play Multiple Sports. Retrieved from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta: https://www.choa.org/parent-resources/sports-medicine/multi-sport-athletes-and-overuse-injuries

What is an Overuse Injury? (2025). Retrieved from Boston Children's Hospital: https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions/overuse-injuries#:~:text=Overuse%20injuries%20are%20sports%2Drelated,muscle%2C%20tendon%2C%20or%20ligament.

Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board