Children who participate in organized sports should take time off in order to avoid physical injuries, pediatricians say.
Overuse injuries are traumatic injuries to a bone, muscle or tendon that suffers repetitive stress without enough time to heal.
The risks are higher in younger athletes because their growing bones cannot handle as much stress as the mature bones of an adult, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Pediatricians should "encourage athletes to strive to have at least one to two days off per week from competitive athletics, sport-specific training and competitive practice (scrimmage) to allow them to recover both physically and psychologically," according to a report in this month's issue of the academy's journal, Pediatrics.
Breaks between seasons are particularly important for avoiding overuse injuries in athletes who play many sports that use the same body part, the group said.
Taking a break from one sport for two to three months each year also allows injuries to heal while working on strength training and conditioning to reduce the risk of future injuries.
The psychological break also helps to avoid burnout, the report's authors said.
The report also recommends:
- Increasing weekly training time, number of repetitions or total distance by no more than 10 per cent each week.
- Focusing on fun, gaining skills, safety and sportsmanship.
- Being aware that weekend tournaments in sports like soccer, baseball and tennis may pose risks such as heat-related illness.
Aiming for the Olympics or professional leagues is unrealistic for most people, the report's authors said, noting fewer than one per cent of high school athletes make it to the pros.
Rather, the goal of participating in athletics should be lifelong fitness and enjoyment of physical activity.
The academy represents more than 60,000 pediatricians in the U.S. and Canada.
