Girls Suffer More Overuse Injuries In Teen Sports

Study names top sports for “overuse” injuries, girls at higher risk than boys

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(COLUMBUS, Ohio) June 2015 – A new study shows that when it comes to overuse injuries in high school sports, girls are at a much higher risk than boys. Overuse injuries include conditions like stress fractures, tendonitis and joint pain, and occur when athletes are required to perform the same motion repeatedly.

“These young people spend more time playing sports both in competition and in practice. So, there’s a correlation there between the amount of time that they’re playing and the increased incidence of injuries,” said Dr. Thomas Best, lead author of the study and a family medicine physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Best says high school athletes spend up to 18 hours a week playing and practicing sports, and many teenagers now choose to play just one sport year round. That’s taking a toll.

Researchers analyzed nearly 3,000 cases over a seven year span and included 20 high school sports. They found that the highest rates of overuse injuries occurred in girls track, followed by girls field hockey and girls lacrosse. Overuse injuries in boys were most often found in swimming and diving.

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Track and cross country athlete Julia Fries is examined by Dr. Thomas Best at his office in Dublin, OH. Fries has been running competitively since middle school and battling stress fractures for years. A new study, led by Dr. Best and a team of researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has found that teenage girls are at a higher risk for overuse injuries than boys, especially those who run track, play field hockey and lacrosse. Details: bit.ly/1B5BbZn

A physical therapist works with Julia Fries, a competitive runner who suffers from stress fractures. A new study by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that teenage girls are more likely than boys to suffer from overuse injuries like stress fractures and tendon and joint pain. Experts charted nearly 3,000 cases over seven years and found girls track, girls field hockey and girls lacrosse accounted for the most overuse injuries of 20 high school sports. Details: bit.ly/1B5BbZn

A new study from the The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that teenage girls suffer more overuse injuries than boys in high school sports, particularly girls who run track or play field hockey or lacrosse. Julia Fries, a competitive runner from Dublin, OH, missed years of competition from overuse injuries, which account for twice as many trips to the doctor as acute injuries. Details of the study here: bit.ly/1B5BbZn

Dr. Thomas Best assesses student athlete Julia Fries in his Dublin, OH office. Best and a team of researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that girls suffer more overuse injuries than boys in high school sports. Girls track, field hockey and lacrosse topped the list, followed by boys swimming and diving. Details of the study here: bit.ly/1B5BbZn



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