Playing a sport is a great way to build strength and character in a child. But you may not realize it's important for kids to play more than one sport.
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| Playing a sport is a great way to build strength and character in a child. But you may not realize it's important for kids to play more than one sport. iStock |
By Sheila Dougherty, Metro
School is just back in session for most kids, and with the
start of the academic year comes decisions about extracurricular
activities. While sports are healthy and character-building, focusing on
a single sport might not be the way to go for every kid. We talked to
Dr. Alexis Colvin, an associate professor of sports medicine and
orthopedics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and chief medical officer of the United States Tennis Association, about the importance of variety.
Why shouldn’t kids specialize in one sport starting out?
There are a number of reasons that kids should do more than
one sport when starting. First, most kids don’t know what sport they
are interested in at an early age! Second, there are only a few sports
considered early specialization sports, in which peak performance
happens at a young age [such as ice skating, gymnastics]. Finally,
allowing children to play more than one sport can help in preventing
overuse injuries.
Do some sports complement each other? What are some good pairings?
Mixing higher- and lower-impact sports is a good rule of
thumb. This doesn’t mean that your child should play two-three travel
sports per week — informal activity has value as well! Yoga and pilates
are also great for core strengthening and flexibility as well as
promoting mindfulness.
Should you focus on different sports in different semesters/over the summer?
A general guideline is that a child should take off at least one season per year from a specific sport to help prevent injury.
What should parents and kids consider when choosing sports?
As with any activity, the most important criteria really should be that the child (not the parent) is interested in trying it.
When is a child old enough to specialize in a sport?
It depends on the sport. There are a few sports in which
peak performance occurs in the mid-teens [known as early specialization
sports], such as gymnastics. The majority of sports are late
specialization, and peak performance occurs after puberty. It is not
advisable to try to get a child to specialize in a late-specialization
sport prior to maturation — this puts them at risk for injury and
potential burnout.
What are common sports injuries for kids?
The injuries can be divided into injuries caused by trauma
and those caused by overuse. In kids, the growth plate is weaker than
ligaments. When there is trauma, a kid is more likely to have a bone
injury as opposed to adults, who are more likely to tear a ligament in
the same joint.
Similarly, when an injury is due to overuse (repeating the
same motion/activity over and over again), this usually manifests as
tendonitis or a tendon tear in an adult. In a child, it will typically
affect the growth plate and can be seen as a stress reaction, or worst
case, as a stress fracture.
How do you know when a kid is overdoing it? What should you do/how can you prevent it?
There are both physical and non-physical signs that a kid
is overdoing a particular sport. Lack of interest and/or participation
is a potential non-physical sign. Problems sleeping or headaches may
occur as well. Physical signs include pain or swelling of a joint or
limb, limping or inability to bear weight and weakness.
Prevention includes getting a preseason physical to
identify any pre-existing problems, cross-training and varying the
position that a child plays within a sport.
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