By Kevin Hein
The American Academy of Family Physicians estimates that around 30 million children and adolescents will participate in youth sports each year. Whether it is at the hockey rink, basketball court, or soccer field, I suspect most of you have either participated or watched family or friends participate. While youth sports offer many benefits, parents often have questions regarding safety, which sports should be pursued, and how to find the balance between sports and a healthy childhood. We will touch on the advantages of youth sports as well as some of the common questions and concerns often voiced by many of the parents of my child patients.
Prevention of Childhood Obesity
Organized athletics offer kids a great opportunity to maintain and/or improve their physical health. According to the CDC, childhood obesity can have both immediate and long-term effects on social and physical health. It is linked with increased bullying, depression, asthma, joint problems and diabetes - conditions that may not develop until adulthood. Therefore, it is important that we identify children with obesity or at risk for developing obesity and discuss proper nutrition and regular exercise. I really like the Play 60 initiative that has been campaigned by the NFL in recent years. It highlights the importance of 60 minutes of activity a day for children, coupled with a focus on increasing fruits and vegetables and limiting high fat and sugary foods/beverages.
Safe Sports
While preventing childhood obesity and obesity-related illness through organized athletics seems like a great idea, what are the safest sports to achieve this? The truth is, there is no single right answer here. The vast majority of organized sports offered to children today are considered safe for most children. With nearly all sports, there is inherent risk of overuse injuries (i.e. stress fractures, pulled muscles) or mild-moderate trauma (i.e. bruises, sprained ankles), but most of these types of injuries heal without long-term complications. More severe injuries, such as concussion, bone fractures, or ligament ruptures, are much less common. In recent years, there has been a special focus by referees, coaches, and leading associations of each sport to work on eliminating these types of injuries through rule changes, ensuring proper attire and sports gear, and encouraging safe play. That being said, these injuries do occur, and therefore do need to be considered when deciding on what sports you will be allowing your child to play. Discussion with your family doctor is a great way to explore the benefits and risks of youth sports, as well as determine if your child is healthy enough to participate and identify any potential risks, which may affect your decision.
Why Sports?
For me, youth sports were an important part of my childhood. I made lifelong friends, learned about sportsmanship, importance of work ethic, and maintained my physical and emotional health. With all of my youth patients that have an interest in participating in organized athletics, I discuss this interest with them and their parents and explore what they are comfortable with. In general, the benefits of youth sports outweigh the risks, and I support the shared decision making between a parent and child when choosing which sports to pursue.