Ever been really passionate about an activity? How about spending countless hours trying to get better at a hobby such as video games, basketball, or drawing? If so, that’s the same boat as several other young children aspiring to become professional athletes. It is estimated that 60 million kids participate in organized sports each year. A subset of this population is kids who specialize in their sport before the age of 14 and have their sights set on a professional career. However, according to Dr. Brian Cash from the UCLA Department of Orthopedic Surgery, these children have a higher risk of injury throughout their careers.
Dr. Cash and his team of researchers surveyed 202 collegiate athletes about their scholarship statuses, injury histories, and the ages they started sports. The team discovered that athletes, who specialized in one sport before the age of 14, were 16% more likely of suffering multiple injuries throughout their careers. Furthermore, these same athletes reported lengthier recovery times of 15 weeks as opposed to 7 weeks for athletes who didn’t start their sports before age 14. However, children who specialized at an early age did have higher chances of receiving sports scholarships and getting recruited.
Image Source: ROBYN BECK
A possible explanation for these results is that children who start playing their sports early on develop into more competitive players. They have more time to hone their skills and foster essential instincts to be successful in their sports. However, as Dr. Cash mentions, this specialization increases risk of injury for prolonged periods of time. One reason for that is children are at a critical developmental stage of puberty from ages 10 to 14. Continuously practicing the same movements, whether it be in soccer, in tennis, or in basketball, can cause injuries from overuse. For example, constantly swinging a tennis racket with full force can lead to shoulder and elbow pain. These injuries can be compounded by the fact that these children are still growing.
Dr. Cash concludes that playing sports has tremendous benefits not only health-wise but also academically via college scholarships. Children who focus on one sport at an early age have reasonable opportunities to develop into great athletes. However, the trade-off is a worsened risk for injuries and longer length of recovery. Some kids and parents may accept this, but it’s worthwhile to continue the discussion about the benefits and risks.
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