According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 2.6 million children 0 to 19 years old are treated in the emergency department each year for sports and recreation-related injuries. If not treated properly, these injuries can affect growth and development. They can also lead to issues that linger into adulthood such as arthritis.
When a sports injury occurs, it is important to quickly seek proper treatment - ideally from a certified orthopedic specialist.
How can an orthopedic physician help?
Back pain, injuries, stiff necks...if it has to do with the musculoskeletal system, an orthopedic specialist can help. An orthopedic doctor specializes in bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, nerves and tendons. They can help properly diagnose issues in those areas and provide the most appropriate treatment for a better recovery.
What to expect when you visit an orthopedic doctor
Most visits with an interview, physical exam - including review of previous tests or scans - and then additional diagnostic tests such as x-rays may be ordered. Many orthopedic problems have more than one course of treatment. An orthopedic doctor can help you find the option that best fits your health and lifestyle.
Learn more about orthopedics at LMH
Most Common sports injuries for teens
Young athletes are affected by injuries in different ways than adults because most of them are still growing. Sports injuries are commonly classified as acute - they happen suddenly such as from a fall or collision - or overuse injuries which happen over time and typically affect tendons and muscles or, in the case of stress fractures, bones.
Sprains & strains
A sprain is a stretching or tearing of ligaments — the bands of tissue that connect two bones together in your joints. The most common location for a sprain is in your ankle. A strain is a stretching or tearing of muscle or tendon. A tendon is a cord of tissue that connects muscles to bones.
Growth plate injuries
A growth plate fracture affects the layer of growing tissue near the ends of a child's long bones. Growth plates are the softest and weakest sections of the skeleton — sometimes even weaker than surrounding ligaments and tendons. If an injury happens in one of these areas, it should be examined for potential growth plate issues:
- the long bones of the hand and fingers
- both bones of the forearm
- the bone of the upper leg
- the lower leg bones
- the foot bones
Repetitive strain injuries
A repetitive strain injury (RSI) is an injury from overuse of muscles or tendons. These injuries can result in stress fractures (a hairline fracture of the bone that has been subjected to repeated stress) and tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon).
Need an orthopedic specialist?
Logansport Memorial Hospital has two resident orthopedic surgeons and both are currently accepting patients.
