Growing Bodies and Injury Risk in Children’s Sport
Children are not simply small adults, and this is especially important when considering sports injuries. Their bones, muscles, tendons and nervous systems mature at different rates, which changes both how injuries occur and how they should be managed.
During growth spurts, bones often lengthen faster than muscles and tendons can adapt, increasing tension at attachment sites and reducing coordination. This helps explain why children commonly develop heel pain, knee pain, or shoulder pain without a single traumatic incident.
Growth plates are another key consideration. These areas of developing bone are more vulnerable to overload and repetitive stress. Excessive training volume, early specialisation, and limited recovery time increase injury risk, particularly in competitive environments. Importantly, pain in children is often load-related rather than due to structural damage.
Injury prevention begins with appropriate training loads, gradual progression, and attention to movement quality. Strength training, when supervised and age-appropriate, is safe and highly effective. It improves coordination, control, and tissue resilience while reducing injury risk. Good strength does not limit growth and does not increase injury risk when properly prescribed.
Early reporting of pain is essential. Children frequently continue training despite symptoms, particularly when motivated by team selection or competition. Persistent pain should prompt assessment rather than rest alone. In many cases, modifying training and introducing targeted rehabilitation allows continued participation while protecting developing tissues.
The goal is not to limit sport, but to support long-term participation. Well-managed injuries in childhood reduce the risk of chronic problems in adulthood and help children remain active and confident throughout their sporting years.