Take the Pledge to Prevent Youth Sports Injuries

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sports injuries among young athletes are on the rise. In fact, there has been a significant increase in the number of youth sports injuries and the age of the injured athletes is trending younger. The high rate of the injuries is associated with overuse and a lack of injury prevention. The sad thing is that according to the CDC, more than half of all sports injuries in children are preventable.

My son broke his elbow (growth plate) pitching when he was a U10 baseball player. Admittedly, we did not rush him to the doctor and he played with the injured elbow for a few games, although he did not pitch. The pain did not subside, so we took our son to see to a good orthopedic doctor who specializes in sports injuries. No cast was needed and my son only missed three weeks of action (7 games) His doctor allowed him to return to games as a designated hitter in week four.  My son was 100% and playing without restrictions after 6 weeks. We did not let him pitch for the rest of that year.

To prevent youth sports injuries, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) has initiated THE STOP SPORTS INJURIES campaign,  This campaign features public service announcements, a website with information about sport specific injuries, and The Pledge for athletes, parents, coaches, and healthcare providers to support.

Stats Dad took the pledge today. You should too. Click here to Take the Pledge.