School Sports Are Back! And So Are Injuries

As COVID-19 restrictions begin to loosen around the region this spring, many school districts, park districts and local sports leagues are adding back spring sports into the curriculum. Young athletes sidelined over the past year due to pandemic restrictions are thrilled to be finally returning to their teams and new schedules packed with practices and games.

But as kids get back on the field or court, doctors who treat sports injuries are reporting a spike in patients.

“Our clinic is already seeing a big increase in young athletes with common sports injuries,” says Dr. Amanda Larson, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Mary Bridge Children’s. “Kids who weren’t able to participate in their sport over the last year and have been less active overall are now back to challenging their bones, muscles, and joints – often without the necessary warmup or training.”

Stay in the game, not in your doctor’s office

As school sports and local youth sports teams resume practice and competition, the orthopedic team at Mary Bridge Children’s sees a rise in patients with non-operative pulled thigh and calf muscles and ankle sprains. The team also notes an increase in injuries like meniscus and ACL tears and fractures that require surgery.

“These are common conditions associated with highly competitive sports like football or soccer,” cautions Dr. Larson. “Kids and teens may be starting back to their sport too fast without the appropriate warmup or training that may lead to these types of injuries.”

Unfortunately, some kids have to stop physical activity altogether or even need surgery to repair one of these more severe injuries. As a doctor who treats hundreds of young athletes, Dr. Larson and her team have some helpful advice. For kids, adolescents, and teens who are resuming their involvement in sports or any type of physical activity, they recommend the following:

• Do Lots of Stretching First – Before starting any physical activity, it is essential to spend some time stretching and warming up your muscles, ligaments, and tendons to prevent strains and sprains.”Growing kids, especially, need to stretch daily to prevent typical growing pains and inflammation around growing bones. After a workout or a warm shower is a great time to work this in daily when your muscles are already warm,” adds Dr. Larson.
• Don’t Forget to Rest – “Training every single day can hurt you more than help you,” advises Dr. Larson. She sees injuries in athletes who don’t take any time to let their bodies recover after intense training.
• Try Some Cross-Training – “We know that about half of all athletic injuries are caused by using the same group of muscles over and over.” says Dr. Larson. “Athletes who play multiple sports or mix in different kinds of physical activities like swimming or weight training can reduce their risks of common overuse injuries, such as injuries or inflammation around where the bones grow.”

Mary Bridge Children’s is here to support your team!

If you have questions or concerns about your child’s sports injury or other orthopedic issues, the experienced team of pediatric orthopedic specialists at Mary Bridge Children’s provide a comprehensive range of care for children’s muscles, joints, and bones.

To schedule an appointment or learn more about Mary Bridge Children’s Orthopedics, please contact us at 253-403-1507. Our orthopedics team see patients at our Mary Bridge Children’s Outpatient Centers in Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Olympia and Tacoma.