Unfortunately, we frequently see student athletes in our Houston podiatrist office after they’ve experienced a sports injury. All too often, one misstep on the baseball or football field or basketball court can spell the end of a promising athletic career for these kids. In recent years, we've seen an increase in the number of injured young athletes, and that rise has several causes:
- Kids are playing sports year-round, instead of just choosing a spring or fall sport
- Student athletes are specializing in one sport at a much younger age, increasing the risk of overuse injuries
- Training for student athletes has become more intense, often reaching a level that their growing bodies are not equipped to cope with
Now, the good news is that most sport-related heal and foot pain is very treatable in children and young adults. Still, nothing is more devastating to a student athlete than a game-ending injury, so we’d also like to share some tips today for preventing student athlete injuries. We hope they help keep your young athletes from getting hurt.
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Key Takeaways
- More intense training schedules and sports specialization has increased the rate of injury in student athletes
- Injury warning signs include pain that persists after rest or affects performance, and swelling or tenderness at the heel or ankle
- Stretching of the Achilles tendon and calf muscles can help prevent injury in student athletes, along with rest days, cross- training with strengthening exercises, supportive footwear and inserts such as heel cups or custom orthotics
Table of Contents
Most Common Foot and Heel Injuries in Young Athletes
Before we talk prevention and treatment, we want to make you aware of the kinds of sports injuries that are commonly seen in student athletes:
- Sever's disease, a condition in which the growth plate at the back of the heel becomes inflamed and painful. This condition affects active kids between the ages of 9 and 14. Pain typically occurs at the back of the heel, and is worse after playing sports.
- Achilles tendon tightness, often a problem during rapid growth periods.
- Stress reactions in bones or even stress fractures, usually seen in kids who play sports with lots of running or jumping.
- Ingrown toenails, often caused by the repetitive trauma of wearing cleats combined with pressure from athletic activities.
Why Student Athletes are More Vulnerable to Injuries
Young sports players have unique injury risks. And that's because children have growth plates. These are areas of developing cartilage that are located near the ends of bones, where growth occurs. Growth plates are softer than mature bone, and therefore more vulnerable to injury.
These growth plates don't close until your child reaches skeletal maturity. And that could happen anywhere from their mid-teens to their early twenties. Until they close, they remain vulnerable to injury, which is why we see conditions in student athletes that we just don't see in adults.
Growth spurts also increase injury risk. During periods of rapid growth, bones, muscles and tendons don't always grow at the same rate. And that can lead to imbalances that result in injuries.
Warning Signs Of Sports Injuries in Children
How can you tell if your student athlete is headed for an injury? Here are the signs to watch out for:
- Limping after an activity.
- Pain that persists after rest.
- Pain that affects performance: if your child is avoiding certain movements, not running as fast as normal, or asking to come out of games because of pain, an injury could be developing.
- Any swelling or tenderness around the ankle, heel or foot requires prompt attention.
How to Approach Sports Injury Treatment for Student Athletes
When we see your child after one or more of these injury warning signs have appeared, we'll start treatment with activity modification. That doesn't necessarily mean stopping sports completely. Instead, it might mean reducing intensity, avoiding certain activities that aggravate the pain, or taking some time off to let the inflammation settle.
Stretching and strengthening exercises will be crucial. We focus especially on stretching the Achilles tendon and calf muscles to reduce pulling on the heel bone. We also work on strengthening exercises to improve overall foot and leg function.
Supportive shoes and custom orthotics can also make a huge difference. And for children with heel pain, we also recommend heel cups or shock-absorbing insoles. These help cushion the heel and reduce the impact forces that can contribute to pain and injury.
Ice and anti-inflammatory measures can help control pain and inflammation during the acute phase of the injury. In some cases, we might recommend a walking boot or other immobilization to give the injured area time to heal. But for chronic pain that doesn't respond to these conservative measures, we may need to do advanced imaging to rule out stress fractures.
Of course, we'd rather prevent injury in student athletes than treat the problem afterward. So we hope you'll follow the tips below, to protect your child from sports injuries in kids.
4 Tips to Keep Student Athletes Injury Free
Get Checked First
Before allowing your child to participate in competitive sports, he or she should see a doctor to rule out any medical conditions that could impede their participation. Be sure and mention any previous injuries, even if it’s a sprained ankle, during that visit.
Always Warm Up
This should be a given, but sometimes student athletes are so excited for a match-up that they forget to do the basics and then get hurt. Before any game or practice, student athletes should warm up by engaging in light exercise for about 10 minutes, followed by stretches for each major muscle group. To get the most effective injury-prevention, each stretch should be held for at least 30 seconds.
Rest Up
Overuse injuries are all too common in student athletes. If you’re worried that your child is being pushed too hard by his or her coach, speak up and suggest more rest time. If the coach is resistant, seek a doctor’s medical opinion before allowing your child to continue attending practices and games.
Advocate for your Child
Student athletes are notoriously committed to their teammates, often to the detriment of their own health. If your son or daughter has a sports injury and is pushing to return to the game, make sure your own doctor clears him or her for play first. A team doctor may not value your athlete’s health as much as the team’s overall record.
Student athletics are incredibly enriching but can be dangerous. If your son or daughter of any age has experienced a sports injury, schedule an appointment for an evaluation at Tanglewood Foot Specialists to protect his or her health.
