Fall Tryouts Are Here — Is Your Young Athlete's Body Ready?

As fall sports tryouts kick off, gyms and fields fill up fast with kids ramping up training after a summer off — or, increasingly, kids who never really stopped playing at all. That ramp-up is exactly when overuse injuries tend to show up. Overuse conditions account for more than half of youth sports injuries, and roughly half of those are preventable.

What Makes Growth Plates So Vulnerable?

Growth plates are how young bones get longer and stronger, and young athletes aren't just small adults — their bones, joints, and muscles are actively changing, which puts them at a different set of risks than adults face. These plates are areas of developing cartilage that are weaker than the nearby ligaments and tendons, so repetitive stress can injure them and potentially disrupt normal bone growth.

That's part of why a twisted ankle that might just be a sprain in an adult could result in a more serious growth plate fracture in a young athlete.

Why Are Overuse Injuries Rising?

Early single-sport specialization and year-round play are key contributors to the rise in youth overuse injuries, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine has gone so far as to call early sport specialization detrimental before age twelve. Add in travel leagues, multiple teams, and tournament schedules that don't always follow recommended rest guidelines, and growing bodies are under more repetitive stress than ever.

Warning Signs Parents and Coaches Should Watch For

Symptoms of a growth plate injury include pain or tenderness that may start after activity but progress to pain during everyday movement, along with swelling, warmth, or limited movement in the affected area. Young athletes don't always recognize or communicate discomfort clearly, so paying attention to behavioral changes matters as much as physical ones. Persistent pain, a limp, or reluctance to use a limb normally are all reasons to get evaluated rather than push through.

How to Help Reduce the Risk

A few evidence-backed habits go a long way:

• Play more than one sport. Playing different sports throughout the year helps kids become better all-around athletes and reduces overuse injury risk, compared to specializing young.
• Watch weekly training hours. A good rule of thumb is keeping organized training — practices, games, and competitions combined — under the same number of hours per week as the child's age.
• Build in real rest. Gradually increasing training load, rotating activities, protecting sleep and rest days, and never ignoring persistent pain are all key to preventing overuse injuries.
• Prioritize fun over intensity. Kids who play too intensely or compete too often are more likely to get injured and burned out.

Where Physical Therapy Fits In

If pain shows up, a primary care physician is usually the first stop, and if an orthopedic issue is found or suspected, the child may be referred to a pediatric sports specialist. That's often where physical therapy comes in — building sport-specific conditioning, correcting movement patterns that place uneven stress on developing joints, and guiding a safe, gradual return to play after an injury or a growth spurt.

The goal isn't to sideline young athletes — it's to help them play longer, stronger, and with fewer setbacks.

FAQ

Do growth plate injuries heal completely? Many of these injuries resolve with rest and don't produce lasting growth consequences, though in rare cases they can lead to deformity or growth disruption if not addressed.

Is soreness after practice normal, or a warning sign? Mild, short-lived muscle soreness is normal. Pain that lingers, worsens, or shows up during everyday activity is not — that's worth a evaluation.

Can physical therapy help before an injury happens, not just after? Yes — sport-specific conditioning and movement screening can catch imbalances early, before they turn into an overuse injury.

Ready to make sure your young athlete is prepared for the season? Find a PRN clinic near you for a sports readiness evaluation before tryouts begin.