ADOLESCENT SPORTS INJURIES AND THE PREPARTICIPATION PHYSICAL EVALUATION - 05/09/11
Résumé |
Athletics have an important role in an adolescent's life. Sports participation can provide a positive learning environment that will help student athletes in many aspects of their lives, enhancing fitness and coordination, increasing self-esteem, and providing a positive social experience.11 Annually, an estimated 25 million people in the United States participate in school-organized athletics, and 20 million engage in organized, community-sponsored sports.27 Further sports participation occurs during unsupervised free play. These sports environments carry an inherent risk of injury, but there is little medical research on children's sports injuries. A significant number of injuries are managed on the field, in offices, and in clinics. In addition, 750,000 sports-related injuries in patients under 15 years of age are seen in United States emergency rooms annually.27 Because of the large number of treatment locations, the true incidence and prevalence of sports injuries in adolescents are unknown. During the 3-year period encompassing the 1995, 1996, and 1997 academic years, the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) found that more than half of the injuries to high school athletes in nine sports occurred during practice sessions.
These findings show the importance of injury prevention programs and education. The Preparticipation Physical Evaluation (PPE) is an important tool for the physician to help maintain the health and safety of the athlete in training and competition.26 Sport-specific risk factors may be identified during the PPE, and the athlete's physical maturity is determined to help assess individual and activity-related risk. Prevention of injury is one of the main goals of the PPE. The young athlete can reduce injury risk with proper conditioning.
When injuries do occur, however, special care is required in their evaluation and management, because among adolescents maturation and growth vary from athlete to athlete. Moreover, a young athlete is prone to different injuries from an adult athlete. An adolescent is more likely than an adult to injure cartilage and bone and is more likely to avulse an apophysis completely than to have a significant ligament sprain.4 In general, injuries occur as sequelae of acute trauma or as the result of repetitive microtrauma (overuse injury).27
This article reviews the evaluation and management of some of the common sports injuries in adolescents and the principles of preventive screening, prinicipally the PPE.
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| Address reprint requests to Pamela G. Rockwell, DO, East Ann Arbor Health Center, Family Medicine, 4260 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2702 |
Vol 2 - N° 4
P. 837-862 - décembre 2000 Retour au numéro
Article précédent
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- Randy K. Ward, A. Evan Eyler, Gregory R. Makris
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