Youth Sports Injuries

Medically reviewed by Dr. Amber Borucki, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, October 10, 2024.

A report from Stanford Medicine Children’s Health found that more than 3.5 million children age 14 and younger get hurt annually when playing sports or participating in recreational activities. Engaging in sports gives kids plenty of exercise and helps them learn the importance of teamwork—but, unfortunately, sometimes leads to injuries. Even if an injury isn’t serious enough for a trip to the hospital, it can cause pain and interfere with a child’s life.

It’s important that sports injuries be assessed and treated properly so kids can get back to their regular activities and avoid developing chronic pain or long-term injuries. A physician who specializes in pediatric pain medicine can help. Anesthesiologists are medical doctors who specialize in anesthesia; some receive further training in pain management and can help your young athlete prevent and treat sports-related injuries safely .

It’s important that sports injuries be assessed and treated properly so kids can get back to their regular activities and avoid developing chronic pain.

What is a sports injury?

Young athletes — especially those younger than 8 — are more prone to sports injuries than adults due to ongoing growth spurts, slower reaction times, and still-developing hand-eye coordination. A softball player waits for the pitch. Most youth sports injuries result from outdated or ill-fitting sports gear, improper technique, inadequate warmup or conditioning, or overuse of specific muscles.

A sports injury, such as a bruise, sprain, or strain, can lead to acute pain—pain that is temporary—and can, in some cases, develop into chronic pain—pain that lasts longer than three months. Chronic pain for young athletes can develop from broken bones or from injuries to ligaments, tendons, nerves, the brain, or the spinal cord.

How do you prevent sports injuries and pain?

Below are a few recommendations to prevent children from incurring pain and injury during sports. Parents and coaches should make sure that young athletes:

Get a pre-season physical to make sure they are fit for the sport.
Follow proper techniques and guidelines. You can seek expertise from an athletic trainer about proper techniques.
Play on the appropriate surface for their sport. High-impact indoor sports, such as basketball and gymnastics, should be performed on a type of floor designed to absorb force, and outdoor playing fields should be well maintained.
Use the right protective equipment and gear for the sport, such as mouth guards and helmets. Make sure this gear is well fitting.
Stretch and ensure muscles are properly warmed up before exercise.
Participate in conditioning exercises or cross-training.
Stay hydrated and get plenty of sleep.
Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Recognize an injury and get help early.

It’s also a good idea for athletes to mix up their athletic activities to use a variety of muscles and prevent overuse from excessive repetitive movements. For example, if soccer is the primary sport, encourage young athletes to play pickup basketball or tennis on the side.

What are some treatment options for young athletes?

If your young athlete complains of pain that doesn’t get better after three months, it’s important for them to see a pain medicine specialist—such as an anesthesiologist—who is an expert at diagnosing and treating chronic pain.

Talk to a pain medicine specialist about treatment options, and ask about multidisciplinary treatments emphasizing a combination of therapies—one of the most effective ways to treat pediatric pain.

Combining any of the following pain management techniques often reduces recovery time:

RICE therapy, the time-honored remedy that stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation
Over-the-counter medications, including acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen
Physical therapy, a very important tool in recovery after a sports injury, involving specific exercises to increase range of motion, strengthen muscles, and ease pain
Complementary therapies such as meditation, acupuncture, visualization, or other alternative techniques
Cognitive behavioral therapy, which can be beneficial to a child’s recovery by teaching them good coping skills for pain management
Compression braces (when advised by the child’s physician or medical team) to support an injured joint (ankle, knee, wrist, or elbow) and reduce swelling
Neuromodulation devices such as a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation device (TENS unit)

Interventional procedures such as trigger point injections, nerve blocks, or other targeted analgesia procedures might be offered by an anesthesiologist who is specifically trained in chronic pain management. Sometimes opioids are prescribed as part of combination therapy to treat severe pain when other treatment options aren’t effective. Opioids should be used only when absolutely necessary, for no longer than a few days, and always under the close supervision of a pain medicine specialist. Opioids have several side effects and can be addictive.

If pain continues past a certain point (after about three to four months), consider a consultation with an expert in pediatric pain management. You may find this list of pediatric pain specialists helpful; the list of specialists in the U.S. begins on Page 31.

For more resources on pediatric pain, visit the Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine website.