Sports Injuries in Children
Approximately 30 million children and adolescents participate in organized sports in the United States. About 3 million sports injuries occur annually in children. Most injuries occur in unorganized compared to organized sports. The majority of injuries are sprains and strains. 
Types of sports injuries in children
Sports injuries in children are predominantly sprains, strains, stress fractures, contusions and overuse syndromes . The injuries could be acute or due to overuse. In majority of the acute injuries like sprains, strains and contusions, the mechanism may not be obvious. Overuse foot and ankle injuries are caused by repetitive micro-traumas that exceed the body’s rate of repair. Overuse injuries occur in all sports, but more frequently in sports emphasizing repetitive motion like swimming, running, tennis and gymnastics.
Some of the common sports injuries in children that affect the foot are growth plate injuries , stress fractures , plantar fasciitis , and Achilles’ tendonitis . Less common would be diseases that affect the foot.
Role of the Podiatrist
Podiatrists are professionals with a doctorate degree who are qualified to deal with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of medical and surgical conditions of the feet and lower limbs. Foot and ankle injuries sustained due to sports are also diagnosed and treated by podiatrists. They have a good knowledge of the biomechanics of athletic movements. They are highly qualified to recommend appropriate training programs and also prescribe appropriate foot wear and orthotic devices to fit in to the sports shoes.
Podiatrists order x-rays, bone scans and other imaging studies to diagnose the type of sports injuries. Once they diagnose them, they treat the patient and educate them on proper conditioning, equipment needs and other preventive measures to reduce the risk of sports injuries. Some of the advice given by the podiatrists for parents to avoid sports injuries in children:
· Proper training is a must for any sports activities to prevent injuries. Training helps improve coordination and performance and thereby preventing injuries.
· Specializing in particular sports should be done during teenage years and should not be done extensively during early childhood. This is because children who try to specialize in a single sport at a young age are more prone for injuries.
· Warming up before any sports activities is essential. This helps to loosen the muscles and help prevent injuries. Jogging and smooth stretching are enough for warming up before performing the sport.
· Shoes should be worn to protect the feet and prevent injuries. An all-purpose sports shoes should be worn by young children to prevent sports injuries. In children more than 10 years of age, sports specific shoes should be tried to improve the performance and to prevent injuries.
For treating the various sports injuries of the foot, the podiatrist may prescribe immobilization casts, surgery, strengthening exercises, heel lifts, orthoses(individualized shoe inserts) and other appropriate treatments.
