Until it Hurts and the Importance Youth Strength Training
I just finished Dr Mark Hyman's book Until It Hurts which addresses the unprecedented numbers of youth sports injuries in the last decade. Excessive pressure to perform and seasons that now take up 10 months of the calendar are creating rates of youth sports injuries we have never seen before. Among other arguments, Hyman explores the current trends for both children and parents in competitive youth sports. He sheds light on the increased number of concussions, ACL tears, and Tommy John surgeries for youth athletes in the last decade, and addresses the potentially hazardous practice of early sport specialization.
Hyman offers several reasons for the increase in the rates of injury in youth athletes, but from what we see with the 8-18 year olds we work with, there is a clear reason for these injuries. Lack of fundamental strength. Here is how this has come about. Kids used to play much more actively than they do today. Active games and UNorganized athletics used to dominate kids summers and afternoons. That means they were getting all that great stress on their bones, ligaments, and joints, which made their bodies stronger and more durable. Now that play might mean sitting on the couch and moving your thumbs and there is much less physical development happening, these young athletes are stepping into an increasingly competitive youth sports scene with bodies that are completely unprepared for competition. Many kids are skipping the development of more fundamental athletic strength and going right to sport skills, a step that should only be made with a solid athletic base.
Strength training for youth athletics is no longer just an option, it is a must. This isn't to say we need to have 8 year olds doing front squats, but the need for improved motor patterns and general strength is universal. The competitiveness of youth sports is increasing, and some kids simply don't have the bodies to handle the demands. With all the commitments youth athletes have, at times it can be tough to justify adding one more training session to the schedule, but it's important to remember that training for general functional strength and power not only improves performance but also increases durability. Responsible strength and conditioning practices are a must for today's athletes, and should be a staple of any competitive athletic schedule. For more information on finding great coaches in your area, refer to Sean Skahan's article “How To Choose A Strength Coach for Your Son or Daughter”.
The cycle of youth sports injuries does not have to continue the way it is going right now. Young bodies are being subjected to great amounts of physical and emotional stress, but a good strength and conditioning coach can buffer these effects and help build stronger and more durable athletes who are prepared to handle the challenges of sports. If you are a strength coach or in charge of the strength and conditioning of a team, understand this is your role. If you are a parent or a player, take steps to improve performance and durability by finding a QUALIFIED training program in your area.
Brian.
