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How to Prevent Youth Sports Injuries

By JD News, 04/22/19, 12:00PM PDT

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An increase in overuse and trauma injuries combined with a lack of attention to proper injury prevention is behind the high rate of youth sports injuries.

April is Youth Sports Safety Month. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of all youth sports injuries are preventable. The CDC also says that sports-related injuries are the leading cause of emergency room visits for children ages 12 to 17.

The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine created Youth Sports Safety Month to raise awareness about preventable sports injuries. It says Orthopaedic surgeons are seeing two trends, says the society: the number of sports-related injuries among children is reaching epidemic proportions; and many children and teenagers are experiencing overuse injuries at younger and younger ages.