How much athletic activity is too much? Many adults are raising alarm bells over the amount and seriousness of youth athletic injuries.
“Parents, teachers, and coaches increasingly report that adolescents and even younger children have sustained dangerous, potentially life-long sports injuries,” wrote Stephanie Newman, Ph.D in PsychologyToday.com. “Take the Florida freshman, the number one player on her high school tennis team, who reported to college and refused to attend practice because she was fed up after two surgeries to repair a torn rotator cuff. Or the Ivy Leaguer who elected to stay on his school’s swim team, even after several of his buddies refused. [He said], ‘Most of these guys swam six or seven days a week before they were even in junior high. My parents refused to let me swim more than three days a week, and I’m glad. I watched a lot of great swimmers burn out by high school. They just couldn’t take it any more.'”
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When your child is young, get those dreams of college ball and scholarships out of your head, stressed Newman. “Ultimately, your child might earn a coveted sports scholarship or a place on the college team. But for younger children, and even for very active teens, maintaining a healthy body and a clear perspective is key.”
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