Orthopedic aspects of sport for children. Sport in childhood and adolescence

Sports injuries, the long-term effects and overload damage in children and adolescents have increased dramatically over the past decade. This is in part due to age-related risk-taking and to special techniques and aspects of modern trend sports, including recreational and extreme sports. On the other hand, many injuries occur during school and recreational sports due to impaired coordination and lack of physical activity in the present day technical environment and society. Children and adolescents participating in competitive sports are affected by increased demands with higher training intensity and competition rates. Sports physicians must be aware of the current typical and frequent types of injuries and localizations, as well as the special aspects of the locomotion system in the growing organism to deal appropriately with these patients. In addition to actual injuries (epiphyseolytic, apophyseolytic injuries, elbow fractures and increasingly frequent lesions of the knee joint), overload damage occurs especially as a result of repetitive stress. As movement, sports and physical exercise are important factors in development, sports physicians should give advice on special possibilities for activities and sports and not excuse patients needlessly.