Injury Prevention Program

The Injury Prevention Program at the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute is dedicated to the prevention of injuries from athletic participation, particularly youth sports. The goal is to help educate parents, coaches, healthcare providers and athletes on the importance of injury prevention, treatment, and long-term consequences of overuse and traumatic injuries.As the leading provider of sports medicine care in the region, we rely on a team approach from world-renowned orthopaedic surgeons, non-surgical sports specialists, rehabilitation specialists, athletic trainers, physical therapists, and performance experts to provide the same level of care we provide our professional sports teams. In addition to providing community education, our program is dedicated to research in the area of injury prevention to promote the safety of athletic participation.

Youth Sports Injuries

Over 50% of youth sports injuries are from overuse and are preventable. An appropriate understanding of overuse injuries and their prevention is essential for all athletes, coaches, and medical providers.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), participation in organized sports is on the rise with nearly 30 million children/adolescents participating in youth sports throughout the United States.

Statistics

• High School athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries, 500,000 doctor visits, and 30,000 hospitalizations per year. (1)
• More than 3.5 million kids under age of 14 receive medical treatment for sports injuries each year. (1)
• Children ages 5 to 14 account for nearly 40% of all sports related injuries treated in hospitals.  On average the rate and severity of injury increases with a child’s age. (4)
• Overuse injuries are responsible for nearly half of all sports injuries to middle and high school students. (2)
• 20% of children ages 8 to 12, and 45% of those ages 13 to 14 will have arm pain during a single youth baseball season. (3)
• Injuries associated with participation in sports and recreational activities account for 21% of all traumatic brain injuries among children in the United States. (4)
• According to CDC, more than half of all sports injuries in children are preventable.
• By age of 13, 70% of kids drop out of youth sports.  The top three reasons: adults, coaches, and parents. (2)
• Among athletes ages 5 to 14, 28% of football players, 25% of baseball players, 22% of soccer players, 15% of basketball players, and 12% of softball players were injured while playing their respective sports. (4)