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Children love sports and it is a part of their life. Sports are very much needed for children and it helps to instill a lot of qualities in them including being a team player, confidence building apart from providing adequate exercises needed for the body. As rose has thorns, sports can also cause a matter of concern when children come back home with injuries. Children can be seen in the emergency departments with injuries related to sports, especially team sports. The most common sport related injuries are sprains, strains, bone and growth plate injuries, repetitive motion injuries, concussions etc.

The below are some of the injury-prone sports that children play
• Football
• Cricket
• Baseball
• Softball
• Wrestling
• Volleyball
• Gymnastics
• Track and field

Let us examine the common sports related injuries in detail

Sprains and Strains

Sprains and strains top the list of pediatric sports injuries, with ankle sprains being the most frequent. Majority of the ankle sprains result when running on an uneven surface causes injuries that damage the lateral ligaments. Growth plate injuries are more common than ligament injuries. Medical treatment to improve range of motion and strength of the ankle is very essential. Rest, ice, compression and elevation are the conservative therapy for acute ankle sprains. Protective devices are air splints, plastic or Velcro braces. Ankle taping is another way of increasing the stability of ankles.

Shoulder dislocation

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint of the body. It has the flexibility to turn in many directions. But this advantage can be the very disadvantage that makes the shoulder prone to dislocation. If your child’s shoulder is sprained upward and backward, chances are it will dislocate out of its socket. Shoulder dislocation is both painful and incapacitating. A seemingly simple fall or a collision with another person or object can result in shoulder dislocation. Shoulder dislocation is prevalent in contact sports such as football, cricket, basketball, wrestling and hockey. It can also dislocate from a fall in sports like skiing.

Most commonly, the ball (humerus) dislocates to the front of the socket (anterior dislocation of the shoulder). Fewer than 5% of all dislocations occur in other directions.

Fractures

Pediatric fractures are treated differently from that of adult fractures. Risk of fracture is directly proportional to age. Injury from sports accounts for majority of pediatric fractures. Interestingly, boys are more prone to fractures than girls. The most common fracture locations in children are the hands. Medical studies have proven the association between the increasing incidence of obesity in children and greater risk for fracture.

Fractures through growth plate, which are unique to pediatric patients, are classified as Salter-Harris fractures

Stress fracture

Fractures caused by repeated stress to the bone are called stress fractures, for e.g. repeated motion and overuse of the muscles and tendons. Stress fractures can develop from vigorous exercise, poor mechanics, and weak musculature. Stress fractures are often not seen on radiographs, but they can cause severe discomfort. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most accurate way for detection of stress fractures. These injuries usually get better with rest. Icing the area and elevating the fractured part can reduce the pain.

Incomplete fractures

Incomplete fractures are common childhood sports injuries. Young kids have softer bones with relative more collagen (the main structural protein found in skin and other connective tissues) that are less fragile that those of adults. As the bone is softer it tends to bend and can break partially, thus one side may buckle upon itself without disrupting the other side.

Hand and wrist fractures

Hand and wrist fractures related to sports are quite common among children. Delayed diagnosis and treatment of hand fractures can lead to significant complications. However, most of the injuries can be treated in the emergency department.

Clavicular fracture

Severe football injuries to the fracture can occur due to an impact of excessive force. Clavicular fracture can occur from a fall onto the shoulder or an outstretched hand. It can be diagnosed in the clinic with the help of a radiograph. Majority of the clavicular fractures can be treated non-operatively through analgesia, arm support and physical therapy.

Some interesting facts on pediatric sports injuries

• Football causes the most emergency room visits among the pediatric population.
• There are more concussions in football than in any other sport.
• Most vulnerable areas of children during sports are ankle, head, finger, knee and face.
• After strains and sprains, the most commonly diagnosed injuries in kids are broken bones, bruises, scrapes and concussions

Awareness about pediatric sports injuries is necessary among the children, teachers and parents to seek timely medical treatment. Muscles should be used differently ways, not just repetitively, in order to reduce the incidence of injuries and your child should be encouraged to play more than one sport, or else your child is using the same muscles in the same fashion over and over, thereby increasing the risk of injuries. Physical therapy plays a vital role in the management and prevention of pediatric sports injuries.

For enquiries related to Pediatric or other sports injuries, drop a message to www.BangaloreShoulderInstitute.com/contact