Causes and Effects of High School Sports Injuries

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Published:  July 23, 2023
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Content reviewed and contributions made by Beth Pierpoint, MSPT

Sports are incredibly beneficial for children and adults. Sports teach teamwork, dedication and perseverance. They have significant mental and physical benefits. Aside from these advantages, they provide children with a path to make friends. They keep kids occupied and out of trouble. For some, they provide an avenue to college scholarships, and for a select few, they become a career.

However, while all these benefits are present, there is a dark side to the ever-constant sports season – the club play, the traveling teams, the camps, and the season itself. It is the rise of persistent acute and overuse injuries and student-athlete burnout. As a parent and a student athlete, it is importance to understand the causes and effects of high school sports injuries.

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What Causes High School Sport Injuries?

If your child has made it to high school sports, no doubt, it has resulted from a dedicated and ongoing effort made by your child, by you, their parent(s) or guardian(s), and their coaches. While all these efforts were done with your child’s best interest in mind, a conversation occurring more and more in youth sports about specialization and professionalization may have been missing from the consideration.

The Effects of Sports Specialization in Young Athletes

Sports specialization in young athletes refers to a child’s focus on one sport rather than playing a second or third sport throughout the year. The professionalization of youth sports includes all the training, camps, travel league and club play athletes participate in throughout the year. Kids are coached and trained as professional athletes rather than amateurs or novices. Their training and play are ongoing and consistent.

Alabama-based at a local high school, Physical Therapist Beth Pierpoint has witnessed both effects and calls particular attention to the professionalization – or the never-ending sports season – as a real culprit for acute and overuse injuries. She gives football as an example.

Football ends in December. But, and most people do not realize this, athletes don’t stop training for football. Instead, they replace their traditional PE period with sport-specific workouts until spring. Spring football then starts around mid to late March through May, where they use helmets but primarily focus on conditioning, lifting and film. Athletes may get a week off when school ends, although some opt to go to camp. Summer workouts and pads and shells with contact occur from May until the end of June. Camps start in June and take place in July as well. Official practice and hitting begin when school starts, and then the season runs from August through December.

Beth is quick to note that this isn’t only happening with football. It is pervasive throughout high school sports. “Every sport runs this way because rather than a true off-season, there are club or travel teams in play. There is a definite ‘no days off mentality.’ The problem is that it’s hurting our student-athletes.”

Many argue that this specialization and professionalization benefits young athletes. The athlete may learn to excel in one sport, which may, in turn, create opportunities for the future – especially for those interested in college scholarships. However, early specialization and professionalization’s impact on a young athlete may prevent a scout from ever seeing them.

Common High School Sports Injuries

As previously mentioned, the sheer amount of volume children and teens are taking on in their respective sports is making a tremendous impact on their growing bodies, leading to overuse and acute injuries and athlete burnout.

Overuse Injuries

Overuse injuries are caused by repetitive stress on the joint or the tendon. In fall sports, such as football, cross country, cheerleading and soccer, overuse injuries take the form of:

For example, apophysitis (i.e., groin and hip pain) results from repetitive lifting, running and jumping. Inflammation occurs in the growth plate, causing a dull pain in the groin area or front side of your hip, resulting in tenderness, and possibly swelling.

A doctor needs to diagnose apophysitis since ignoring the issue can lead to chronic pain, limiting a child’s sports career and ability to become an active adult. Athletes can aid prevention by stretching, completing a proper warm-up and stopping activity once pain starts. However, once the pain sets in, the prescribed treatment is, like for many other overuse injuries – rest.

Acute injuries

Acute injuries happen unexpectedly and are often out of the athlete’s control. While in most conditions, a well-trained athlete is less susceptible to injuries, an overtrained and improperly loaded athlete may be at more at-risk for injury.

Common acute injuries in high school sports include:

Like overuse injuries, acute injuries take time to heal. Be sure to work with your school’s athletic trainer, physical therapist or doctor to determine when your child is ready to return to play.

High School Athlete Burnout

The term “burnout” has become commonplace, but for some athletes burnout is a very real thing. The body needs recovery to thrive physically and mentally.

As discussed, specialization and professionalization put a strain on the body, leading to the potential for more overuse and acute injuries due to high school athlete burnout. Add societal and cultural pressures on top of the physical demands of specialization and professionalization, and it is no surprise that many young athletes may experience burnout.

Symptoms of burnout can often look like depression, so it is crucial to monitor your child to watch for patterns or cycles. Signs and symptoms include:

  • Loss of motivation and interest in activities
  • Change in mood or demeanor (e.g., irritability, moody, forgetfulness)
  • Leveled off or diminished performance
  • Increased anxiety, low self-esteem

These symptoms can appear (or reappear) at various levels and stages throughout your child’s life. While off-the-field issues can contribute to feelings of burnout (or vice versa), it is essential to acknowledge how the ongoing demands of sport may affect your child mentally.

The Importance of Rest for an Athlete

Any coach will tell you that recovery is essential for athletic performance. Any athletic trainer or physical therapist will tell you that rest is vital during rehabilitation. Finding time for extended periods of rest can significantly benefit your student-athlete.

If you have questions about finding the right balance between training, sport and rest, talk to your local high school athletic trainer or one of our physical therapists to help you determine a plan to aid in injury prevention and accelerate athletic performance.