Part IV of the Youth Sports Apocalypse: Injuries

Part IV of the Youth Sports Apocalypse: Injuries

For those of you who have followed my journey to try and reform youth and high school sports with a radical change in philosophy. The goal of Frozen Shorts, and of course my personal goal, is to have kids play for fun. By having more kids participate, and keep them participating, our new organic holistic approach, is a healthy alternative to the present day paradigm.

 Most of you are aware of my many concussions. I also have had surgery on my right elbow and left wrist. My right knee aches every time the temperature changes or rain is coming. My left shoulder and right ankle ache for no apparent trigger. In interviewing over 25 former Division I athletes over the age of 40 ALL had a chronic injury. We all paid a price for what we did.

 We chose to do what we did. These injuries that we have are now trickling down and being seen in children as young as 8 years old. I was just told of an 8 year old child who had reconstructive knee surgery after a football injury. A 16 year old is undergoing his 3^rd operation.  I heard about a12 year old girl having knee surgery after a soccer injury. The list goes on and on.

Preventing youth sports and high school Injuries are a huge part of what we concentrate on here at Frozen Shorts. Last year alone $2.5 BILLION was spent on youth and high school sports injuries. About half of them were for overuse injuries.  3.5 million Children went to the hospital with injuries last year. We routinely check the A.O.S.S.M., S.T.O.P., and CDC websites for up to date injury statistics and data. We are interviewing athletes, Doctors, Certified Athletic trainers, and parents as to the extent of this problem.

Let’s look at some startling statistics:

About 2 million high school athletes are injured every year. Over 500,000 go to a doctor for treatment.

3.5 million Children under the age of 14 are treated each year for youth sports injuries

Very young children ages 5-14 have more than 40% of the injuries

Most injuries occur in practice, over 60%

Almost 25% of all children between the ages of 8-14 will have arm pain during a given calendar year

Since the year 2000 there has been a 500% increase in elbow and shoulder injuries in youth and high school sports

Dr. James Andrews performed 50 “Tommy John” surgeries in 2000. In the year 2010 he performed 251

About 175,000 children are treated in Emergency rooms each year for Traumatic Brain Injuries

Nearly half of ALL youth and high school sports injuries are overuse injuries and can be prevented

The statistics I have given you today are staggering. But in and amongst themselves they can and are dismissed by many people. Here is the catch. Even though your child may not have received a youth sports injury in their time playing sports, the injuries that are happening to their teammates do effect them.

Children learn mostly from observation. They see other children playing through injuries.  Other children they are with brag about their injuries, or about the personal trainer that they have. Still others say that if you want to get to the top, and get that Division I scholarship and a professional career, you have to sacrifice.

But very few talk about luck. They don’t  talk about how lucky you have to be to get to the collegiate level, no less being a professional athlete, and how less than 1% of 1% get there.

 They don’t talk about how many children are hurt each year playing youth and high school sports that will have a long lasting significant physical and mental effect on their lives 20 or 30 years down the road.

At Frozen Shorts we try each and every day to get out as many facts as possible so families can make informed decisions about their participation in youth and high school sports.

It’s not our job to decide when if or even how the light goes on for those participating in youth and high school sports. Our job is to just keep flipping the switch.