Sports Injuries in Children/Teenagers

Sports injuries in active children/teenagers are common- children are not little adults and do not tend to sustain similar injuries to the adult population. The resilience of the connective tissues is more adaptable with children compared to that of the middle- aged population. Therefore they should not be treated the same as adults but assessed according to the types of injuries children/teenagers are more susceptible to.

Here at Jill Kerr Physiotherapy within Therap-Ease Treatment Centre we have many

years of experience treating these Sporty adolescents and getting them back on track. We see a lot of sporty families and we understand the pressures of them not wanting time out from their usual sports and activities. We have treated many recreational and elite sports children/teenagers from a variety of sports.

Traumatic injuries such as bone fracture or ligament damage may have been assessed in Accident and Emergency or by Orthopaedic Consultants- however just knowing which activities or movements the child/teenager can still do when injured to maintain fitness will help to reduce the boredom factor and prevent the loss of fitness. Appropriate staged rehabilitation back to full fitness would be something your Experienced MSK Physiotherapist can help you with.

Aches and pains around the insertion of tendons to bone are common and are often associated with a surge in growth and/or a change in levels of activity e.g. Osgood-Schlatters of the Knee. The result of fast growth spurts of the bones mean the muscles and tendons need to catch up and this can lead to an increase in pulling on the tendon attachment sites.

It is helpful if you can see an MSK Physiotherapist who has experience treating teenagers as early as possible. This will allow them to modify the activities of the child to reduce the need for complete rest, which is never a favourable option with sporty teenagers or their parents.

Occasionally very sporty individuals can cause traction injuries at these tendon attachments during explosive activities as a result of having strong muscles and weak attachments of the tendon to the bone. Weakness is the most obvious symptom of this. These normally settle without any surgical intervention but knowing what to do to help will speed up recovery and return to activity.

Backache can occur during the teenage years where individuals are repeatedly going into certain extension positions in activities such as Tennis, Cricket bowling, Gymnastics and High Jump. Getting advice on technique and core strengthening can be beneficial to reduce pain and impact.

Balance reactions and proprioception always reduces every time children have a growth spurt as it changes their centre of gravity. We often notice this when we are assessing the injuries. Working on improving and restoring balance and core strength post injury is vital in reducing further risk of injury. This should be a part of the rehabilitation process.

Jill Kerr Physiotherapy in Morningside, Edinburgh gives 10% discount on all Physiotherapy appointments to school age children/teenagers and take an active interest in helping your child return to their full activity confident in their ability.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you require more information or have an enquiry regarding your Sporty Child, as knowledge is key.