Girls in sports suffer most overuse injuries than boys

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WPVI) -- Overuse injuries among young athletes are on the rise.

And girls in sports are suffering the majority of them

Sports Experts at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center tracked 3,000 male and female athletes for seven years.

They found the highest rates in girls' track, field hockey, and lacrosse, as well as boys swimming and diving.

Dr. Thomas Best says girls may have a higher risk because of hormonal changes during their teen years, and because many don't get enough calcium in their diets.

They say teen athletes are spending more time practicing and playing - sometimes up to 18 hours a week.

And because competition is often so stiff, many play just one sport, starting at an early age.

Too much of the same thing can not only cause acute injuries, but the wear & tear can cause injuries that linger long after their playing days are over.

Dr. Thomas Best says parents should encourage kids to change it up, to play different sports, and make rest and nutrition a priority.

"When you play a different sport, you're using difference muscle groups, so that gives the other groups, if you will, a relative break," says Dr. Best.

Dr. Best says the lower leg is the most common place for overuse injuries, followed by the knee, then the shoulder.

Among athletes, overuse injuries account for half of all athletic injuries and twice as many visits to sports medicine physicians than acute trauma.

These injuries are known to be more prevalent in children ages 13-17.