August 2005

My son is 12 and wants to play football.  Is there an increased chance of injury for him at that age?

At Sport & Spine we definitely see an increase in injuries once the football season starts.  This can be due to the following three reasons:  The high number of participants in the sport; it is usually the first sport of the school year; and many kids do not exercise during the summer months which predisposes them to injuries when they suddenly increase their activity in the fall.  Each year, sports cause up to seven million injuries in America.  More than one third of children and young adults between the ages of 5 and 24 suffer sports related injuries and require treatment from a doctor or a nurse.  Males experience more than twice the injuries of females.  The peak rate of injury occurred at age 12 in girls but at age 14 in boys.  The relationship between age and sports injuries is interesting.  The injury rate for pre-pubertal children in sports, such as football, is much lower that that of post-pubertal children.  One might predict the opposite, but the reason for the greater rate of injuries with increasing age is corresponding increases in size, speed and strength.  All lead to greater impact. So which is the most dangerous sport?  Football was responsible for 39% of injuries, compared to rollerblading at 14%, basketball at 7% and physical education at school at 7%.  Physical Therapists specialize in injury prevention and treatment of pain and other symptoms associated with injuries.

Dennis McEntaffer, PT