Little joints, big hurt: Torn ACLs, other injuries hit young athletes

[TheMightyFavog]

http://www.stevenspointjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080715/SPJ04/807150320&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

WASHINGTON -- A 14-year-old gymnast with a stress fracture in her lower back. A 12-year-old who tore his ACL in a soccer game. A 16-year-old runner with a leg stress fracture. A 15-year-old who tore his meniscus playing basketball.
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A single morning's patients for Harvard's Dr. Mininder Kocher provides a window into a troubling trend: Injuries once seen mostly in adults are becoming distressingly common in youth athletes -- not just in high school, but in Little League.

(snip)

Kocher, an orthopedic surgeon at Children's Hospital Boston, is about to begin a government-funded study to determine the best treatment for children who tear their ACLs while growth plates around the knee still are active.

(snip)

"I wonder what these kids are going to be like 20 to 30 years down the road," he said. "Will we have a whole generation of middle-aged adults with early arthritis?" That's why research is needed, he said.

[ingac70]

1. I'm glad I was a lazy kid...

all my friends who played sports are broken down before their time.

[liberal N proud]

2. I played sports when I was in school

We didn't have all these injuries. We didn't have all the training equipment, weight rooms and year round workouts these kids have.

Kids are not allowed to be kids. Yes exercises is important but not full time power exercises these kids do today.

[BarbaRosa]

3. With all those X-treme sports

around, I wonder if anybody will be able to walk in 20-40 years from now.