Knee

The ability of kids to heal faster from sports injuries than adults is a mixed blessing with pluses and minuses.  it is important to let an injury fully heal before a child is allowed to return to play; playing hurt increases the risk of future injury and permanent disability.

Following a specially-designed warm-up regimen before sports measurably improves muscle strength and flexibility and corrects biomechanical imbalances blamed for the epidemic of anterior cruciate injuries among female athletes, says a new study of high school basketball players published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.                                                           

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A new study provides strong evidence that a young athlete delaying reconstructive surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is at increased risk of irreparable damage to other structures in the knee.

Those of us fortunate to be involved in the treatment of sports injuries among children and adolescents are often are left to ponder how much truth-telling is appropriate. In other words, how much does the athlete or parent want to hear, and are they listening to us if we do tell?

Reconstructive surgery on a torn or ruptured ACL is increasingly common in sports and some may shorten or end your child's sports career.

The alarming increase in the number of younger children and adolescents suffering ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries playing sports, particularly among girls, may be the by-product of the trend towards early specialization and year-round play in a single sport.

Female athletes are at significantly greater risk of knee injuries, particularly to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), than male athletes. The injury rate disparity is even more pronounced for noncontact ACL injuries.  A recent study suggests that female athletes who perform a specific exercise program called the Prevent Injury and Enhance Performance (PEP) program before practices and games suffer far fewer ACL injuries than those who don't.

Reconstructive ACL surgery on young athletes using replacement ligaments from cadavers have high failure rate.