Bio-banding and altering training parameters play a role in preventing injury in very young athletes. Tracy Ward explains the developmental basis for these strategies and how to incorporate them into your youth training and rehab programs.
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay
Three processes characterize youth development from birth to adulthood(1):
Growth refers to the changes in body composition, proportions, and overall body size.
Maturation is the progression towards biological maturity for the body system’s including skeletal, neuromuscular, reproductive, somatic, endocrine, etc.
Development covers behavioral adaptations such as cognitive, emotional, social, and moral skills(1).
While all three stage
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Running for sport is just as popular among young people as it is with adults. Up to 40% of children participate in running as a sport in some parts of the world(1). For youth in the US, running is the second most popular activity(1). As the popularity of running grows, so do the numbers of... MORE
Are there risks for early specialization in young athletes, and if so, is there a better developmental pathway? Andrew Hamilton explores the pros and cons of single-sport participation. Practice makes perfect – or so they say. However, can young athletes have too much of a good thing when it comes to youth sport? For busy... MORE
Age and maturity may put younger athletes at risk for certain types of injuries. Jason Tee explains how development impacts injury risk and examines how to support young athletes for life-long activity. While increasing age increases overall injury risk in athletes, clinicians may misinterpret that fact and ignore the injury risk in the young(1). Indeed,... MORE
Successfully returning an athlete to sport following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) poses an ongoing challenge for rehabilitation professionals. Jessica Montgomery discusses the role the rate of force development plays in return to sport and injury prevention and the modifications needed for younger athletes. 2012 South West England's Holly Molesworth in action during the rugby... MORE
Lots of factors may contribute to back pain in runners. Tracy Ward explores the causes of nagging non-specific low back pain and outlines a rehabilitation program to get runners back on track. Running is one of the most popular sporting activities worldwide. Still, it carries a high injury risk in both amateur and professional athletes,... MORE
In any given year, nearly 80% of runners will report a running-related injury (RRI). Hip weakness and faulty kinematics are frequently implicated in injuries such as iliotibial band syndrome and medial tibial stress syndrome. However, without a high-tech running lab, clinicians have few resources to analyze running form. Therefore, a group of researchers from Montana... MORE