Sports Injuries are on the Rise!
Sports Injuries are on the Rise!
Scottsdale, AZ – I just read some astonishing statistics about sports injuries in youth and adolescent athletes, and now, even more so than before, I am on a mission to educate the athletic community, the importance of the focus on prevention of injuries. Coaches, parents, athletes, strength coaches, sports trainers, and sports medicine professionals – physicians, physical therapists, athletic trainers all need to be place a much bigger emphasis on getting down to the “cause” of these injuries.
Sports Injury Statistics:
The concussion rate for female athletes is rising 21 percent each year, for past 11 years, and for boys, the increase has been 14 percent. (American Journal of Sports Medicine)
More than 3.5 million children ages 14 and younger get hurt annually playing sports or participating in recreational activities. (National SAFE KIDS Campaign and the American Academy of Pediatrics)
62% of organized sports-related injuries occur during practice (National SAFE KIDS Campaign and the American Academy of Pediatrics)
Injuries caused overexertion from excessive physical exercise or strenuous movements in recreational or other activities were among the leading causes of injury-related emergency department visits among adolescents ages 15–19, ranging from 5 to 10 visits per 1,000 adolescents. (Childstats.gov)
75% of the surgeries done on professional football players involve ligament tears, ACL tears,and the meniscus
Percentage knee injuries amongst different athletes:
- 67% of injuries among skiers are knee injuries
- 46% of injuries among soccer players are knee injuries
- 43% of injuries among football players are knee injuries
- 42% of injuries among basketball players are knee injuries
- 38% of injuries among runners are knee injuries
- 31% of injuries among gymnasts are knee injuries
- 29% of injuries among dancers are knee injuries
- 24% of injuries among tennis players are knee injuries
Injury Prevention is key!
These statistics are astonishing and we, sports medicine professionals, need to step up and start making a difference. I opened my business, Efficient Movement, 5 years ago for this purpose. I was frustrated seeing injured athletes, one after another, coming into physical therapy, so I decided to take advantage of the Certified Strength and Conditioning Certification that I obtained years prior to that, but was not really utilizing. I took the sports medicine principles I knew and directly applied them to the strength training, speed training, and agility training athletes were seeking. I discovered the more I applied these principles, not only did I reduce injuries significantly with these athletes, but I also developed more athleticism in these athletes, than I knew was possible.
If you are looking to reduce sports-related injuries, please call us today and let us educate you on the risk(s) of injuries your body’s biomechanics may exhibit.
Efficient Movement | 9332 N 95th Way #104, Scottsdale, AZ 85258 | (602) 358-8862