Presents statistics on injury patterns in youth sports, recommending that physicians who care for young athletes understand the kinds of injuries likely to be sustained. Awareness of injury patterns helps medical professionals identify variables associated with injury, anticipate or prevent injuries, plan medical coverage, and compare individual…

With the growth in youth sports programs, overuse injuries in children and adolescents have become common. Physicians are challenged to make the diagnosis and identify the causes of injury. Growth-related factors require special consideration in injury management. Physicians must make a directed history assessing causative factors and a systematic…

Many growth center disorders may be associated with athletic activities like Little League baseball and year-round gymnastics. Osteochondroses are developmental disorders usually diagnosed in growing children and associated with anatomic sites undergoing transition from cartilage to bone. Radiographic methods of diagnosing these problems are…

Examines whether prepubescents are trainable in competitive sports, noting trainability differences between prepubescents and older groups. Changes in maximal aerobic power, metabolic cost of walking and running, muscle strength and power, and local muscle endurance are examined. Strength training is recommended only for rehabilitation or…

Describes how providing a well-designed injury prevention program that includes attention to growth and development, training and conditioning, protective equipment, and emergency care can minimize youth sport injuries. (SM)

In discussing pharmacologic control of hypertension in children and adolescents who participate in sports, the second of two articles emphasizes drugs with few side effects and that usually do not alter heart rate (e.g., long-lasting angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or calcium channel blockers). Such drugs allow continued sports…

Discusses the many factors that can cause a child to be misdiagnosed with hypertension, as well as the kinds of activities that are appropriate for a child who has hypertension. (JD)

Acceptance of adult roles by children increases "adult injuries," notably broken bones from sports. Suggests camp administrators be familiar with clientele, particular sports, and the kinds of injuries that generally result in each. Discusses children's age, types of sports, and other factors that come into play when anticipating and treating…