Understanding Recurring Sports Injuries in Young Athletes
As a parent, one of the most frustrating things to hear is:
“It hurts again.”
Maybe it was the shoulder that bothered them last baseball season.
Maybe it was the groin injury that seemed to settle down after hockey ended.
Maybe it was the knee pain that improved over the winter, only to return halfway through basketball season.
Often, parents are looking for a specific event that caused the problem.
“Did they fall?”
“Did they get hit?”
“Did they twist something?”
The reality is that many of the sports injuries I see in young athletes aren’t caused by one big injury at all.
More often, they’re the result of weeks, months, or even years of accumulated stress on a growing body.
Then one day, something seemingly simple happens.
A baseball player throws one more pitch.
A hockey player pushes off the boards.
A lacrosse player takes a shot.
A dancer lands a jump.
And suddenly, the pain is back.
The movement wasn’t necessarily the cause. It was simply the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Kids Are Not Small Adults
One of the biggest misconceptions in youth sports is treating young athletes like miniature adults.
Children and teenagers are constantly changing.
Their bones are growing.
Their muscles are adapting.
Their coordination is developing.
Their nervous systems are learning.
What worked six months ago may not work today because their body has literally changed.
One of the conversations I have frequently with parents involves growth spurts.
Growth is exciting, but it can also create challenges that many families don’t realize are happening.
Our bodies rely on specialized receptors that constantly provide feedback to the brain about where we are in space.
These receptors help us understand:
- Where our feet are when we run
- Where our arms are when we throw
- How hard to push
- How fast to react
- How to coordinate movement
When a child suddenly grows several inches in a short period of time, those systems have to adapt.
The body changes quickly.
The brain takes time to catch up.
The result can be awkward movement patterns, reduced coordination, decreased body awareness, and increased stress on certain joints and muscles.
Parents often notice this before the athlete does.
Their child suddenly seems clumsy.
They trip more often.
Their throwing mechanics change.
Their skating stride looks different.
Their balance isn’t quite the same.
What they’re often seeing is a nervous system trying to recalibrate to a rapidly changing body.
The Injury Isn’t Always Where It Hurts
One of the reasons recurring injuries can be so frustrating is that the painful area isn’t always the source of the problem.
I’ve worked with baseball players dealing with recurring elbow pain.
The elbow was sore, but the problem wasn’t always the elbow.
Sometimes it was reduced shoulder mobility.
Sometimes it was poor thoracic spine movement.
Sometimes it was weakness through the hips and core that forced the arm to do more work than it should.
I’ve worked with baseball players whose mid-back pain kept returning throughout the season.
Each time they rested, they felt better.
Then they returned to throwing and the pain came back.
The issue wasn’t simply inflammation.
The issue was how their body was moving and loading through the kinetic chain.
I’ve treated hockey players struggling with groin injuries that seemed to linger for months.
Lacrosse players with recurring lower back pain.
Baseball players with wrist pain that affected their swing.
Dancers frustrated by clicking hips that made them nervous every time they practiced.
Basketball players dealing with pain around the knee despite rest, stretching, and ice.
In many cases, the painful area was only one piece of a much larger picture.
The “Play Through It” Mentality
Youth athletes are incredibly resilient.
Sometimes they’re almost too resilient.
Many young athletes will continue practicing, training, competing, and performing despite pain.
Some won’t even tell their parents.
Others don’t want to let their teammates down.
Some are worried they’ll lose playing time.
Others simply assume pain is normal.
By the time they arrive in the clinic, the issue may have been present for weeks or months.
The longer a compensation pattern exists, the harder it can become to break.
That’s why I encourage parents to listen carefully when their child repeatedly mentions the same complaint.
Even if the pain seems minor.
Even if they’re still playing well.
Even if they’re having a great season.
Pain is information.
The goal isn’t to create fear around sports.
The goal is to identify problems early before they become bigger issues.
Recovery Is More Than Rest
One of the biggest myths in sports is that rest alone fixes everything.
Rest absolutely has value.
But rest doesn’t automatically solve the reason the problem developed.
If an athlete rests for two weeks and then returns to the exact same movement patterns, training loads, and limitations that contributed to the issue in the first place, it’s not surprising when symptoms return.
This is where a comprehensive approach becomes important.
At Mountain Ridge Wellness, we often look at:
- Movement patterns
- Mobility
- Strength
- Coordination
- Growth-related changes
- Training volume
- Recovery habits
- Stress levels
- Sport-specific demands
Because rarely is there one single factor responsible.
Sometimes the Missing Piece Is Mental
This is a topic that deserves more attention in youth sports.
Physical performance and mental performance are closely connected.
I recently had a conversation with a young baseball player who had started working with a counsellor.
Initially, the goal wasn’t sports performance.
The focus was on managing some of the stressors they were dealing with.
What was interesting was what happened next.
Their batting improved.
Their confidence improved.
Their hesitation decreased.
They felt more connected at the plate.
Their ability to handle pressure situations improved.
The mechanics didn’t suddenly change overnight.
Their ability to manage stress did.
As adults, we understand that stress affects our bodies.
Kids are no different.
School stress.
Social pressures.
Performance anxiety.
Fear of making mistakes.
Expectations.
All of these things can influence how an athlete performs and how they recover.
Sometimes helping a young athlete perform better means supporting both the physical and mental sides of the equation.
The Importance of Building the Right Team
One of the things I tell parents regularly is that raising a healthy athlete is a team sport.
Parents are often the foundation of that team.
You’re the one driving to practices.
Scheduling appointments.
Preparing meals.
Providing encouragement.
Helping your child navigate successes and setbacks.
But parents shouldn’t have to do it alone.
The best outcomes often happen when young athletes have a strong support system around them.
Depending on the athlete’s needs, that team may include:
- Coaches
- Parents
- Chiropractors
- Registered Massage Therapists
- Acupuncturists
- Counsellors
- Strength and conditioning professionals
- Family physicians
- Specialists
Several practitioners at Mountain Ridge Wellness genuinely enjoy working with young athletes.
Many of us have spent years helping kids navigate growth spurts, injuries, competition, and the challenges that come with sport.
By having those services working closely together, communication becomes easier and care becomes more coordinated.
Most importantly, it helps ensure that young athletes receive the support they need while continuing to enjoy the sports they love.
The Goal Isn’t Just Getting Back to Sport
When parents bring their child in, they’re often focused on one question:
“How quickly can they get back to playing?”
It’s a reasonable question.
But I think there’s a better one.
“How can we help them stay healthy enough to keep playing for years to come?”
The goal isn’t simply surviving this season.
It’s helping young athletes build healthy movement habits, confidence, resilience, and physical capacity that will serve them throughout their lives.
Because youth sports should be about more than wins and losses.
They should build confidence.
Friendships.
Discipline.
Leadership.
Healthy habits.
And a lifelong love of movement.
When Should Parents Seek Help?
Consider having your child assessed if:
- The same injury keeps returning
- Pain lasts longer than expected
- Performance is declining
- They are avoiding certain movements
- They complain of pain after practices or games
- Their growth has accelerated significantly
- They seem less coordinated than usual
- They are becoming frustrated by recurring symptoms
Early intervention often leads to better outcomes and less time away from the activities they enjoy.
Supporting Young Athletes in Maple Ridge
Whether your child plays baseball, fastpitch, hockey, lacrosse, basketball, volleyball, dance, or another sport, recurring injuries shouldn’t simply be accepted as part of the game.
Sometimes the pain is the problem.
Sometimes it’s a clue.
Understanding the difference can make a significant impact on your child’s long-term health, performance, and enjoyment of sport.
At Mountain Ridge Wellness, we’re passionate about helping young athletes move well, recover well, and continue doing the things they love.
Because healthy athletes don’t just perform better… they enjoy the journey more too.
If you’re interested in getting more information for your child – feel free to call the clinic or book directly online.
604-467-6545
http://mountainridgewellness.janeapp.com