Overuse Injuries

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.

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.

Early specialization and playing on a select or travel team take their toll on a child's growing bones, joints, and muscles. Prior to high school, most children are simply not physically mature enough to handle the stress that playing a single sport on a year-round or nearly year-round basis places on their bodies.

Overuse injuries have become commonplace among young athletes in the last decade (although "Little League elbow" has been a problem for decades). They are not the kind suffered by children and adolescents engaging in free play or "pick up" games, but are clearly a product of the organized youth sports boom. The damage to hard and soft tissues resulting from undetected, unreported and often untreated overuse injuries can be permanent and lead to problems later in life, such as arthritis.