HJAR Jul/Aug 2023

46 JUL / AUG 2023 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S HEALTH to recover from injury often lead parents, caregivers, and coaches to push the grow- ing athlete to return to sport as soon as possible, risking further or new injuries. As a result, it can be difficult to know when to allow an injured athlete to resume partic- ipation. When deciding the timing for young athletes’ return to play, it is essential to give caregivers a straightforward analysis of the factors and facilitate shared deci- sion-making. While this is not compre- hensive, the following approach uses three simple considerations: safety, pain, and function. CHILDREN and adolescents suffer ap- proximately 3.5 million sports-related injuries annually, many preventable. In- creased intensity and single-sport focus are two factors that have led to increased incidence of sports-related injuries. How- ever, the social and health benefits far out- weigh the risk of injury for many young athletes. According to the National Council for Youth Sports, approximately 60 million children and teens participate in organized sports yearly, most of whom will not be- come collegiate or professional athletes. The limited window of opportunity for sports participation and the time it takes COLUMN CHILDREN’S HEALTH R. Dale Blasier, MD Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon Arkansas Children’s Hospital Safety The sports medicine provider is best qualified to address the question: Is it safe to return to a sport at this time? While it may be a simple question, it can be difficult to answer due to many factors. • Was the treatment successful? • Has the injury had enough time to heal? • Is there a high risk of reinjury? Sports medicine providers should ask and answer these questions. Since the safety of the young athlete is paramount, these are the first andmost important con- siderations. Minimizing Time Missed from Sports Without Compromising Safety for Young Athletes