How to protect your child from overuse injuries.

Dr. Jason Zaremski, MD, CAQSM, FACSM, FAAPMR recently wrote an article that was published in the Washington Post.  The article discusses how parents can protect their children from overuse injuries in sports.  From the article:

What happened this week in my clinic is not unlike most weeks: A young boy and his mother walked in because his elbow hurt after throwing a baseball. I had a strong feeling what was going on with this 9-year-old patient.

With baseball season in full blast across the country, with millions of players practicing and playing daily year-round in youth and travel leagues and the Little League World Series in high gear, it is important that parents and caregivers of our kids know simple ways to prevent overuse throwing injuries.

Youth Pitching (Photo Credit Washington Post: Amy Joyce)

While coaches may keep a close eye on the volume of pitches thrown, lots of children may throw during sports camps, play catch with their buddies or just throw against the wall. No one is counting those pitches. With that in mind, here are some easy suggestions for parents of children who love baseball but want to reduce the likelihood of an arm injury.

Be sure to check out the full article on the Washington Post’s website to learn the six valuable tips that can help parents avoid overuse injuries in their young athletes: