Muscles, Joints, Ligaments & Bones

The ability of kids to heal faster from sports injuries than adults is a mixed blessing with pluses and minuses.  it is important to let an injury fully heal before a child is allowed to return to play; playing hurt increases the risk of future injury and permanent disability.

The hamstring muscles play a critical role in nearly every sport because they are the muscles an athlete uses to increase speed and make quick changes in direction. Injuring a hamstring muscle can be very debilitating and should be taken very seriously, particularly in children.

The shoulder is the most commonly dislocated joint in the human body, occurring most often in youth athletes, particularly wrestlers.  For some patients, standard stability-restoring procedures are ineffective.  New research from the University of Michigan shows patients who have recurrent shoulder dislocations may benefit from surgical reconstruction using cadaver bone and cartilage to essentially ‘sculpt' a new shoulder.

Heel pain occurs frequently in children ages 6 to 14 as their feet grow and the heel bone develops.The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons advises parents that when their child complains of heel pain, it should be diagnosed promptly because it may be a warning sign of a serious foot problem.

Following a specially-designed warm-up regimen before sports measurably improves muscle strength and flexibility and corrects biomechanical imbalances blamed for the epidemic of anterior cruciate injuries among female athletes.                                                        

A new study provides strong evidence that a young athlete delaying reconstructive surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is at increased risk of irreparable knee damage. Early reconstruction of the ACL before any other damage to the knee gives a child the best chance of a good outcome in the future.  Once other structures in the knee are damaged, the final outcome may not be as good, no matter what the surgeon does at the time of reconstruction.

Coaches who concentrate on the well-being of their young athletes encourage them to cross-train and enjoy other activities during parts of the year, not threaten them with the loss of a place on the team if they don't drop other sports.

Early recognition and treatment of common overuse injuries to growth plates is key to the safe return to play of young athletes says a new study.

Overuse running injuries such as patellofemoral pain syndrome (so-called "runner's knee"), and Achilles tendonitis may have more to do with weakened hip muscles than the sheer number of miles an athlete runs.