Sixty million kids participate in organized athletics each year with ever increasing amounts of children specializing in one sport before the age of 14 with hopes of a college scholarship or professional career on the line. However, researchers presenting their work at the AOSSM/AANA Specialty Day today reveal that this early intense participation might come… Continue reading Early Sports Specialization Linked to Higher Injury Rates in College Athletes
Early Sports Specialization is a phrase every coach and trainer has heard. Even many parents are familiar with the term. But what does it mean? Is it a bad idea? What are the risks? Are there rewards? On this episode, I offer a few thoughts about early specialization and what it can mean for athletes.… Continue reading Podcast: Early Sports Specialization: A Path to Burnout and Injury?
Not long ago, the National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS) undertook a study to determine the impact of early-sport specialization on injury rates among high school athletes. While there are a few minor flaws in the study, which I’ll address momentarily, the study sheds a fairly strong negative light on early sport-specialization as it… Continue reading Early Sport-Specialization Leads to Higher Injury Risk
