The risk of overuse injuries

Avoid specialization and repetitive sport activity at a young age. Athletes who participate in a variety of sports tend to have few injuries and play longer. • L imit training in one sport to no more than five days a week with at least one day off from any organized physical activity. Take time off from one sport for two to three months each year to allow physical injuries to heal, the body to recoup and for the athlete to focus on strength training and conditioning. This is also a psychological break that can help the athlete avoid burnout and overtraining syndrome. Pediatric athletes should only play one overhead throwing sport at a time and should avoid playing the same sport year-round. Participation in multiple sports throughout the year provides a wider range of skills as well as rest from repetitive, single-sport activities. Although there aren’t injury thresholds for specific sports or age ranges, data suggest limiting vigorous physical activity to 16 to 20 hours a week for pediatric athletes. • Conduct a pre-participation physical exam on an annual basis to detect life-threatening conditions as well as factors that may predispose the athlete to overuse injuries.