Sport specialization in youth sports is a hot topic for the last decade or so. Recent studies have shown that the “increased emphasis on sports specialization has led to an increase in overuse injuries, over training, and burnout” (in high school athletes), according to a 2016 report from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Another study published in July 2017 in The American Journal of Sports Medicine offers additional evidence that sport specialization “may increase the range of injuries for a high school athlete”. The study found that kids with a higher rate of specialization were at a 50 percent greater risk of injury, noting ankle sprains, knee tendonitis and stress fractures.
As a parent, there is an unspoken (and sometimes spoken) pressure to specialize our child in a sport at an early age. Sometimes, it is our kids who are saying they only want to play one sport. There are benefits to sport specialization—an edge over other players, competitive success, the possibility of attention from college recruiters, playing on elite teams or travel teams, etc. But, with the possibility of serious injury or your player being sick of that sport by the time they hit high school, is it worth it? That’s the big question.
Many, but not all, in pediatrics, sports medicine and training believe that a child should not limit himself/herself to a single sport until after puberty. The American Academy of Pediatrics concluded in a report last year that current evidence “suggests delaying sport specialization in the majority of sports until after puberty (late adolescence- around 15-16 years of age) will minimize risks and lead to a higher likelihood of athletic success”.
What are the benefits of playing more than one sport? Aside from avoiding the risks of sport specialization listed previously in this blog, multi-sport athletes gain other benefits, as well. Developing the sport specific skills of a mixture of sports will help a youngster develop into an athlete instead of just a baseball player or basketball player. Often, when an athlete strengthens skills across several sports and activities, they find their sports performance increasing. Cross training is another benefit of playing multiple sports, using more major muscle groups instead of over training the same ones. Multi-sport athletes are said to be better team mates, more adaptable and more confident.
Doctors and specialists also warn about over scheduling and over committing. A rule of thumb recommended by a senior scientist and researcher in sports medicine is that, “kids should limit the number of hours they participate in organized sports each week to the number of years they’ve been alive- or less”. His example is, “a 10 year old should not play or practice more than 10 hours a week”.
The one thing everyone seems to agree on is that it is the responsibility of clinicians, parents, and coaches to insure that youth sports have the best interest of the children playing them at heart!
By Theresa Dohahue, Physical Education