Certified Athletic Trainers (ATCs) are health care providers who specialize in the prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses that occur to athletes and the physically active.
The National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA)represents and supports 30,000 members of the athletic training profession through education and research.
ATCs and orthopaedic surgeons have observed an increase in adult-type athletic injuries among children and adolescents. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 3.5 million sports-related injuries in children under age 15 were treated in the U.S. in 2003.
According to NATA, team sports are a great way for kids to improve physical fitness, coordination, and self-discipline. But injuries can occur such as sore shoulders, swollen knees, and other ailments that, if not taken seriously, can become chronic later in life.
"Young athletes are not merely small adults," said John M. Purvis, MD, a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon and a clinical assistant professor, at the University of Mississippi Medical School. "Their bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are still growing, which makes them more susceptible to injury. Growth plates - the areas of developing cartilage where bone growth occurs in youngsters - are weaker than the nearby ligaments and tendons. What is often a bruise or sprain in an adult can be a potentially serious growth plate injury in a young athlete."
Why has there been an increase in youth sports injuries? Many athletic trainers believe it's a case of "Overuse Syndrome."
Since many kids are playing the same sport constantly instead of participating in a variety of activities, ATCs suggest cross-training in moderation throughout the year to prevent one area from becoming overworked and stressed.
Larry Starr, ATC, a former major league baseball athletic trainer with the Cincinnati Reds and Florida Marlins recommends that young athletes should always warm up before beginning any activity, take rest breaks, replenish fluids and cool down and stretch after play. He also suggests that to avoid seasonal overuse, players should not participate in more than one team at a time.
"With the increasing popularity of travel teams, young athletes might participate on their school team during the week, and travel team on weekends. This definitely puts them at greater risk of injury," said Starr.
Additionally, Starr explained, "All young athletes should have pre-participation exams to ensure they're fit for play. Parents and coaches play an important role and should instruct and practice proper techniques, be alert to injuries, hold practices and games with adequate rest days built into the schedule and have an emergency plan in place. These measures will make a huge difference. Treatment and rehabilitation are critical, but even more important is prevention."
The recognition and treatment of injuries to student athletes must be immediate. It is the position of the NATA that all secondary schools should provide the services of a full-time, on-site, certified athletic trainer to student athletes.
Athletic trainers are mid-level professionals equivalent to physical, occupational, speech, language, and other similar therapists. Prior to obtaining a bachelor's degree with an athletic training major, athletic trainers earned bachelor's degrees in majors such as pre-medical sciences, kinesiology, exercise physiology, biology, exercise science and physical education.
For more information on the National Athletic Trainers' Association, National Athletic Training Month or the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, visit http://www.aaos.org/ and http://www.nata.org/.