The summer months leading up to the fall youth sports season provide a great opportunity for young athletes to prepare and ensure safe sports participation. Physical therapy, when recommended by your family doctor, can play an important role in preventing sports injuries. From identifying movement deficiencies to improving strength and mobility, a physical therapist can help prevent pediatric sports injuries and keep young athletes playing the sports they love.
Paul Schroeder, PT, MPT, is a physical therapist and sports and orthopedics specialist in Chicago, Illinois. As a member and spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), he and his colleagues work closely with family physicians and pediatricians to ensure that young athletes are prepared and safe during their sports season. Schroeder answered some of the most common questions about how to prevent youth sports injuries for fall sports.
What role do physical therapists play in preventing youth sports injuries during the fall season?
Physical therapists play a key role in preventing sports injuries in children. Physical therapy can help young athletes build strength and endurance, physical conditioning, optimize performance and safety around return to play after injury.
How do family doctors and physical therapists work together as part of the health care team for young athletes?
In collaboration with the family physician, physical therapists monitor progress and determine when it is safe for the young athlete or teen to return to sports. They also help prevent future sports injuries in children and support long-term health. Physical therapists and family physicians can also tailor treatment plans to the needs, challenges, and goals of each athlete.
Young athletes must be physically prepared before fall sports officially begin, and what does “being ready” look like?
Sports injury prevention should begin during the summer at least four to six weeks before fall sports officially begin. This time allows young athletes to slowly build muscle strength and endurance, which reduces the risk of future injury. “Readiness” means that an athlete can perform a sport at the start of the fall season without becoming impaired or during a demanding practice, game or competition. Staying hydrated during the summer months is important to prevent heat-related illnesses, maintain optimal body temperature, and optimize mental and physical performance.
What are some of the main benefits of having your child or teen see a physical therapist before participating in fall sports?
Working with a physical therapist can give young athletes a good foundation to build strength, endurance, technique and confidence heading into the fall sports season. Safety is a top priority and there are many factors to consider when playing competitively. A physical therapist will discuss past injuries, growth spurts, proper sleep, nutrition, and hydration to help develop a personalized program. Additionally, a physical therapist can identify movement or muscle weaknesses and imbalances so the athlete can maintain proper mechanics and avoid sports injuries.
What should families expect during a physical exam or pre-participation assessment?
The pre-participation physical assessment is to make sure your child is ready and safe to play. This is important for safety, injury prevention, and compliance with school-related obligations. You can expect a review of your child’s medical history, a general physical and functional assessment.
For sports with a high risk of concussions (football, soccer, gymnastics, etc.), getting baseline testing helps establish a baseline to better guide and alert management in the event of a concussion.
What questions should families ask during preseason physical or mobility evaluations?
It is important to consider questions related to the young athlete’s health history, past sports injuries, and risk factors. Families should seek guidance on training and recovery schedules, as well as resources to support the young athlete’s mental health. Mental fitness assessment by a family physician is important in youth sports because it directly affects physical safety, motivation, and overall mental health. Your family doctor or physical therapist will help determine next steps or the need for mid-season follow-up.
When young athletes jump too quickly into fall sports, what mistakes or training patterns increase youth sports injuries?
When young athletes go from small preseason workouts to daily workouts, it can increase the risk of childhood sports injuries. Teenagers, in particular, often balance a hectic school schedule with various sports and may not have enough recovery time to prevent injury. It is important that parents and guardians regularly communicate with their young athletes to ensure that they are not playing due to pain, fatigue, illness or other conditions. The main component of pre-season training is the gradual and progressive development of physical requirements.
What are the most effective strategies physical therapists recommend for reducing concussion risk in young athletes?
Physical therapists focus on reducing the risk of concussion by developing a safe foundation for young athletes in their sport. This includes strength training and impact control, balance work, situational awareness, technique training and guidance on proper gear and equipment. Physical therapists can also advise athletes on the changes they need to make during exercise to reduce the risk of concussions. In addition, they can teach families to recognize the symptoms of a concussion and the appropriate next steps if a head injury occurs. A physical therapist will focus on these key strategies to reduce concussion risk:
- Provision of appropriate sports protective equipment
- Learning sport-specific techniques and skill safety
- Limiting full contact practice time
- Focus on neck and shoulder strengthening exercises
It should be noted that the diagnosis of concussion is a clinical diagnosis and can only be made by a medical professional. Physical therapists can work with the athlete’s health care team to evaluate and treat a variety of post-concussion issues.
Physical therapists take a team approach to recovery and work with family physicians to determine appropriate adjunctive therapy as needed. Together, they can assess, treat, and guide a variety of post-stroke issues including neck pain, dizziness, balance, headaches, exercise intolerance, sleep hygiene, vision problems, dual function, and cognitive problems (including Return to Learning).
This resource was developed in collaboration with the American Physical Therapy Association.
