Overuse Injuries, Overtraining, and Burnout in Child and Adolescent Athletes

• Published in: Pediatrics (Evanston) Vol. 119; no. 6; pp. 1242 - 1245
• Main Authors: Brenner, Joel S, and Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elk Grove Village, IL Am Acad Pediatrics 01-06-2007; American Academy of Pediatrics
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Athletes; Athletic Injuries - diagnosis; Athletic Injuries - prevention & control; Athletic Injuries - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Burn out (Psychology); Burnout; Child; Child athletes; Child Welfare - psychology; Cumulative trauma disorders; Cumulative Trauma Disorders - diagnosis; Cumulative Trauma Disorders - prevention & control; Cumulative Trauma Disorders - psychology; General aspects; Health aspects; Humans; Injuries; Medical sciences; Overuse injuries; Pediatrics; Physical Education and Training - methods; Physical Education and Training - standards; Repetition strain injury; Repetitive stress injury; Risk factors; Sports injuries; Stress, Psychological - diagnosis; Stress, Psychological - prevention & control; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Teenagers; United States; United States > US; Human; Pediatrics; injuries; Injury; overuse; Athlete; Trauma; Occupational burnout; Sport; Adolescent; overtraining; Lesion; burnout; Child
• ISSN: 0031-4005; 1098-4275
• DOI: 10.1542/peds.2007-0887

Overuse is one of the most common etiologic factors that lead to injuries in the pediatric and adolescent athlete. As more children are becoming involved in organized and recreational athletics, the incidence of overuse injuries is increasing. Many children are participating in sports year-round and sometimes on multiple teams simultaneously. This overtraining can lead to burnout, which may have a detrimental effect on the child participating in sports as a lifelong healthy activity. One contributing factor to overtraining may be parental pressure to compete and succeed. The purpose of this clinical report is to assist pediatricians in identifying and counseling at-risk children and their families. This report supports the American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement on intensive training and sport specialization.