Specialization patterns across various youth sports and relationship to injury risk

Abstract

Athletes in individual sports may be more likely to specialize in a single sport than team sport athletes. Single-sport specialized athletes in individual sports also reported higher training volumes and greater rates of overuse injuries than single-sport specialized athletes in team sports.

Incidence, prevalence, and risk factors for elbow and shoulder overuse injuries in youth athletes: A systematic review

“…A few factors may contribute to the high incidence of overuse injuries in tennis. Single‐sport specialization, which is a risk factor for obtaining overuse injuries, is more common in youth tennis compared to other overhead sports . In addition, serve speed in tennis is constantly increasing causing intensified strain on the elbow and shoulder .…”

Sport Specialization and Single-Legged–Squat Performance Among Youth Baseball and Softball Athletes

“…The kinematic data were collected at 100 Hz using an electromagnetic tracking system (trakSTAR; Ascension Technologies, Inc, Burlington, VT) synchronized with the MotionMonitor (Innovative Sports Training, Chicago, IL). Fourteen electromagnetic sensors were attached at the following locations: (1) posterior aspect of the torso at the first thoracic vertebrae (T1) spinous process; (2) posterior aspect of the pelvis at the first sacral vertebra (S1); (3,4) flat, broad portion of the acromion on the scapula bilaterally; (5, 6) lateral aspect of the bilateral upper arm at the deltoid tuberosity; (7,8) posterior aspect of the bilateral distal forearm, centered between the radial and ulnar styloid processes; (9) dorsal aspect of the second metatarsal of the nondominant foot; (10, 11) lateral aspect of the bilateral upper leg, centered between the greater trochanter and the lateral condyle of the knee; (12,13) lateral aspect of the bilateral lower leg, centered between the head of the fibula and the lateral malleolus; and (14) dorsal aspect of the third metacarpal of the dominant hand. A 15th, movable sensor was attached to a plastic stylus for the digitization of bony landmarks.…”

“…Youth athletes who specialized in sport were at greater risk of sustaining an injury. 2,3,[6][7][8] Specifically, female youths who participated in a single sport were at greater risk of developing anterior knee pain and other chronic knee injuries than those who played 2 sports. 9 Among high school athletes, even moderate sport specialization led to an increased likelihood of lower extremity injury.…”

“…3,7,[9][10][11] Comparing specialization across sports, baseball and softball athletes were more likely to specialize in their sport and to sustain some of the highest rates of overuse injuries. 8 Increasing the volume of a unilateral rotational motion, such as that seen in baseball and softball, in relation to other movement patterns is postulated to predispose an athlete to injury. 2,12,13 Much attention regarding youth sport is currently focused on the association of sport specialization and injury, [1][2][3][4]7,8 yet a link has also been established between injury prevention and functional movement.…”

“…8 Increasing the volume of a unilateral rotational motion, such as that seen in baseball and softball, in relation to other movement patterns is postulated to predispose an athlete to injury. 2,12,13 Much attention regarding youth sport is currently focused on the association of sport specialization and injury, [1][2][3][4]7,8 yet a link has also been established between injury prevention and functional movement. Specifically, the efficient and effective use of the body as a kinetic chain working in a proximal (lower extremity) to distal (upper extremity) manner seems to aid in injury prevention.…”