Tips To Prevent Overuse Injuries in Youth Sports

How much training is too much for young athletes?

– The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons reports that 20 percent of children ages 8 to 12 and 45 percent of those ages 13 to 14 will have arm pain during a season.
– Sports medicine specialists say too much practicing results in injuries to the developing musculoskeletal structure of a young athlete.
– They are seeing a significant increase in shoulder and elbow injuries in athletes who use repetitive overhead movements.
How will the consistent overuse of muscles, tendons and ligaments affect athletes in adulthood? Can injuries be prevented?

This Webinar was held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, and featured an opportunity to learn from the experts who oversee athletic training and coordinate medical care for the Chicago White Sox.

Whether you are a coach, parent or athlete, this conference call/webinar likely has meaningful information you can benefit from. . The one-hour webinar provided:

-Insight from Drs. Chuck Bush-Joseph and Greg Nicholson, team physicians for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls and leading sports medicine specialists at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago

-Tips from Brian Ball, Chicago White Sox assistant athletic trainer, on preventing overuse injuries and the importance of good throwing mechanics.

Positive Coaching Alliance is a non-profit organization started at Stanford University, with the mission to transform youth sports so that all athletes have a positive, character-building experience. Hundreds of leagues and schools serving 5-to-18-year-olds throughout the U.S. partner with PCA to train their coaches and educate their parents.