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Campaign launched to prevent rise in youth sports injuries
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Leaders in the sports medicine subspecialty have announced the formation of the STOP Sports Injuries campaign, an initiative designed to educate athletes, parents, trainers, coaches and health care providers about the rapid increase in youth sports injuries as well as the steps to help reverse this trend.
The campaign, organized and presented by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), teaches the proper prevention techniques, discusses the need for open communication among those involved in the lives of youth athletes, encourages participants to take what the program refers to as The Pledge – a promise to become advocates for sports safety and take preventative measures to ensure the safety of young athletes.
“Regardless of whether the athlete is a professional, an amateur, an Olympian or a young recreational athlete, the number of sports injuries is increasing – but the escalation of injuries in kids is the most alarming,” James R. Andrews, MD, president of AOSSM and co-campaign chair of STOP Sports Injuries, stated in an AOSSM press release. “Armed with the correct information and tools, young athletes can remain healthy, play safe and stay in the game for life.”
A problem on the rise
Sports injuries among young athletes are on the rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). High school athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries, 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitalizations every year.
Orthopedic surgeons are also seeing a drop in the age of young athletes with overuse injuries. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), more than 3.5 million children 14 years of age and younger are treated for sports injuries each year.
According to the CDC more than half of all sports injuries in children are preventable.
“Stay on the field”
“The increasing number of youth sports injuries affects everyone involved in a young athlete’s life – coaches, parents, trainers and health care providers,” Andrews stated in the release. “We created the STOP Sports Injuries campaign to raise awareness about the problem and provide accurate information to keep the lines of communication open and ensure that young athletes stay healthy, stay on the field and stay out of the operating room.”
The campaign will feature public service announcements and a Web site with information about sport-specific injuries.
Groups involved with the program include the AAOS, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
- Reference:
www.sportmed.org
