Physicians around the country are treating young patients with minor and traumatic sports injuries. There are several aspects of participating in sporting activities that can cause sports injuries and physicians today are focused on educating their young patients and potential patients about the best practices for staying healthy and in the game. Michael Ciccotti, MD, Director of the Sports Medicine Program at Philadelphia's Rothman Institute and Head Team Physician for the Philadelphia Phillies, discusses how physicians can best identify injury potential and implement treatment plans for young athletes. Dr. Ciccotti is also on the Steering Committee for the STOP Sports Injuries Campaign which aims to educate young athletes, parents and coaches about preventing sports-related injuries.
Q: What are most common injuries among young athletes?
Dr. Michael Ciccotti: Every year statistics show more than 3.5 million children aged 14 and younger are treated for all types of sports injuries. Most of these injuries are overuse injuries such as sprains, strains and ligament tears.
The injuries tend to be sport-specific. In baseball, most of the injuries we see are shoulder and elbow injuries from throwing the ball. Soccer players tend to have lower extremity injuries such as ankle and knee strains. These are common youth injuries because soccer and baseball are so popular among young athletes in the United States.
Q: How can physicians advise young athletes to prevent these injuries?
MC: There are varieties of reasons minor injuries occur, such as inappropriate training (increased exposure to a sport too quickly, rapidly accelerating the duration or frequency of a sport). The broad spectrum of equipment available to an athlete now is amazing. You can go online and basically create your own sports equipment. One of the most common causes of injuries in athletes is not using the appropriate size of equipment for their body.
Additionally, some people are prone to injuries because of their physiology. They are bow-legged, knock-kneed or have high arches in their foot. Trying to prevent injuries in these young athletes is a challenge. Young athletes should have preseason physicals so physicians can identify these conditions and make sure the athlete is on the appropriate prevention track. It is particularly important for these patients to choose equipment for their body type and have appropriate training techniques.
Q: After an injury occurs, what are the challenges you face in implementing a treatment plan?
MC: Most often, the athlete wants to get back to their sports as quickly as possible. Physicians want to get them back safely. Once the athlete can do daily activities, they can start to wean themselves back into their sports. However, if they feel severe pain, deformity of the limb, numbness or pain, they need to speak with a sports specialist.
The adage of no pain, no gain doesn't apply. You want to make sure the parent, athlete and coach understand that time out is necessary.
Q: What is the best way for a physician approach communication with an uncooperative or competitive athlete?
MC: You listen to the patient and let them tell you their story. You listen to the parents and coaches while they talk about the injury. Then you explain the nature of the injury. This allows the patient, parents and coaches to understand why the injury hurts. Then you explain the treatment options to them. Be realistic about the healing rate and make sure everyone understands how long it will take for the athlete to return to their activity. They need to have the right expectations.
It's important to temper the parents' expectation for their children. Most children are not going to become professional athletes but you don't want them to lose the love for the sport.
Q: How can a physician most effectively communicate with an injured athlete's coach?
MC: As long as the parent allows you to speak to the coach, it's actually very helpful to tell them about the injury. Make sure you give the coach concrete timelines as to recovery time so the coach can plan for the next few games or the rest of the season. The coach needs to know how long a player is going to be out so they can manage the lineup every day. And if the coach understands an athlete’s injury, then he or she can better manage the athlete upon his/her return.
Learn more about Rothman Institute.
Read other coverage on youth sports medicine:
- STOP Sports Injury National Campaign Provides Material for Physicians, Coaches, Young Athletes
- 5 Strategies for Preventing Overuse Injuries in Youth Sports Medicine
- Treating Young Athletes: Q&A With Sports Medicine Specialist Dr. Patrick Wupperman
Q: What are most common injuries among young athletes?
Dr. Michael Ciccotti: Every year statistics show more than 3.5 million children aged 14 and younger are treated for all types of sports injuries. Most of these injuries are overuse injuries such as sprains, strains and ligament tears.
The injuries tend to be sport-specific. In baseball, most of the injuries we see are shoulder and elbow injuries from throwing the ball. Soccer players tend to have lower extremity injuries such as ankle and knee strains. These are common youth injuries because soccer and baseball are so popular among young athletes in the United States.
Q: How can physicians advise young athletes to prevent these injuries?
MC: There are varieties of reasons minor injuries occur, such as inappropriate training (increased exposure to a sport too quickly, rapidly accelerating the duration or frequency of a sport). The broad spectrum of equipment available to an athlete now is amazing. You can go online and basically create your own sports equipment. One of the most common causes of injuries in athletes is not using the appropriate size of equipment for their body.
Additionally, some people are prone to injuries because of their physiology. They are bow-legged, knock-kneed or have high arches in their foot. Trying to prevent injuries in these young athletes is a challenge. Young athletes should have preseason physicals so physicians can identify these conditions and make sure the athlete is on the appropriate prevention track. It is particularly important for these patients to choose equipment for their body type and have appropriate training techniques.
Q: After an injury occurs, what are the challenges you face in implementing a treatment plan?
MC: Most often, the athlete wants to get back to their sports as quickly as possible. Physicians want to get them back safely. Once the athlete can do daily activities, they can start to wean themselves back into their sports. However, if they feel severe pain, deformity of the limb, numbness or pain, they need to speak with a sports specialist.
The adage of no pain, no gain doesn't apply. You want to make sure the parent, athlete and coach understand that time out is necessary.
Q: What is the best way for a physician approach communication with an uncooperative or competitive athlete?
MC: You listen to the patient and let them tell you their story. You listen to the parents and coaches while they talk about the injury. Then you explain the nature of the injury. This allows the patient, parents and coaches to understand why the injury hurts. Then you explain the treatment options to them. Be realistic about the healing rate and make sure everyone understands how long it will take for the athlete to return to their activity. They need to have the right expectations.
It's important to temper the parents' expectation for their children. Most children are not going to become professional athletes but you don't want them to lose the love for the sport.
Q: How can a physician most effectively communicate with an injured athlete's coach?
MC: As long as the parent allows you to speak to the coach, it's actually very helpful to tell them about the injury. Make sure you give the coach concrete timelines as to recovery time so the coach can plan for the next few games or the rest of the season. The coach needs to know how long a player is going to be out so they can manage the lineup every day. And if the coach understands an athlete’s injury, then he or she can better manage the athlete upon his/her return.
Learn more about Rothman Institute.
Read other coverage on youth sports medicine:
- STOP Sports Injury National Campaign Provides Material for Physicians, Coaches, Young Athletes
- 5 Strategies for Preventing Overuse Injuries in Youth Sports Medicine
- Treating Young Athletes: Q&A With Sports Medicine Specialist Dr. Patrick Wupperman