THE OCCURRENCE OF SPORTS INJURIES AMONG PRE-ADOLESCENTS.

Preschool children's harmonious development, cognitive and communicative abilities are enhanced through physical activities in sports, yet sports training and competition pose a risk of injury to children aged three to seven years due to their physiological and psychological features. Although sports injuries in preschool children are not common, they can be undesirable and unavoidable, and fortunately, these injuries are usually reversible. This review article presents data on the physiological features of the developing musculoskeletal system and its relationship to sports injuries in children, which together determine the nature of children's sports injuries. We also present a classification of sports injuries among preschool children, based on the literature, which considers the type, location, and severity of the trauma as estimated by the duration of mandatory missed practice.

THE INCIDENCE OF SPORTS INJURIES AMONG SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.

It is estimated that approximately one in ten school-aged children experience sports-related injuries annually. These injuries are most common at 12 years of age. Boys are more likely to get injured and more likely to get seriously injured than girls. The probability of injury is greater in contact or high-impact sports, with American soccer accounting for the largest number of injuries, followed by wrestling, basketball, soccer, and baseball. In certain sports, such as horseback riding, women are four times more likely to sustain injuries. The presented literature review details the incidence of various sports-related injuries in adolescents. Sports-related injuries observed in children under the age of 10 are nonspecific and include contusions, mild sprains, and fractures of the extremities, most commonly Salter-Harris fractures (growth plate fractures) or plastic fractures. In young athletes, sports-related injuries of the ligaments or muscles, as well as spinal or head injuries, are rare. This is particularly true during puberty, where growth plate fractures and musculoskeletal injuries occur more frequently.

MEDICAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF PREVENTING SPORTS INJURIES AMONG CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.

Sports injuries among children and adolescents typically involve mild bruises and sprains. However, any sport can cause injuries to the musculoskeletal system. It is crucial to prevent such injuries through proper training and supervision to ensure the safety of young athletes. Therefore, when providing medical care to these patients, physicians must have the appropriate qualifications and skills and take into account the specific nature and location of injuries in each sport. Training programs and performance standards for young athletes should consider participants' biological age, physical and psychological immaturity, rather than their chronological age to prevent serious musculoskeletal injuries in child and youth sports. This review outlines the incidence of sports injuries in adolescents and considers how biological and social factors (factors related to coaches, peers and parents), influence the incidence and nature of injuries in different sports. Coaches and parents, though, have the ability to reduce the risk of injury by selecting suitable sports activities, employing the right equipment, enforcing rules, promoting safe playing conditions, and ensuring adequate supervision. Healthcare providers involved in the prevention and treatment of injuries in young athletes must possess the skillset to diagnose and assess the severity and risk to the athlete's future health and performance.