Youth Sport Specialization and Risk of Injury: A General Review

Objective:The purpose of this literature review was to analyze, understand, and disclose prior empirical findings about the injury risks associated with youth sport specialization.Data Sources:Articles were included in this review if they examined the association between youth sport specialization status and injury. Nine articles from 5 journals met these criteria. All articles summarized the findings of cross-sectional (N = 5) or cohort studies (N = 4).Main Results:Each article included in this review indicated that specialized youth athletes are more susceptible to injury. Only 5 studies assessed the injury risks linked to specialization independent of sport training volume. These studies produced contradictory results.Conclusions:Although specialized youth athletes are more prone to injury, future research is needed to determine the independent and inherent injury risk associated with specialization. Nevertheless, youth athletes should refrain from specialization until at least adolescence.