Pediatric Sports Medicine

Pediatric sports medicine refers to the treatment of injuries resulting from athletic activities and caters to the unique anatomy, physiology and injury patterns of children. Whether it’s t-ball, gymnastics or soccer, the experts at Banner Children’s can get your child back to having fun in no time.

When Should My Child See a Sports Medicine Doctor?

Your child should see a sports medicine doctor if they have sprains, fractures, dislocations or injuries to their bones, ligaments, tendons or muscles.

What Types of Conditions Does Banner Children’s Treat?

Our pediatric sports medicine team is trained to treat a wide-range of sports-related issues in children and adolescents, including:

• ACL reconstruction
• Ankle instability reconstruction
• Arthroscopic treatment of the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and ankle injuries
• Hip arthroscopy for the management of labral tears and femoracetabular impingement
• Concussion care
• Meniscal repair
• Rotation cuff repair
• Shoulder labral repair

We also offer a variety of wellness-focused services to keep your child healthy while they enjoy the sports they love, including:

• Anatomical structure assessment and treatment
• Exercise prescription
• Injury prevention
• Medical imaging
• Performance and strength training
• Sports nutrition

The Importance of Exercise

Physical exercise is essential for a child’s development as it helps lay the foundation for an active and healthy lifestyle. Exercise helps children build a healthier body composition, stronger bones and muscles, while also improving their cardiovascular fitness. Regular physical activity also helps young ones with their physical, social and emotional development while improving their confidence, concentration, thinking skills, self-esteem and coordination.

Injury Prevention Program

Select Banner locations offer injury prevention programs for kids and adolescents. These programs feature:

• Motion analysis to review and improve skill
• Close cooperation with coaches from area middle and high schools on conditioning, injury prevention and injury treatment
• Sharing expertise with local athletes to keep them on the field and in the game, free of injuries

Sports Physicals

Before your child starts a new sports season, they should see a doctor for a sports physical to determine if it’s safe for your child to play a given sport.

During their sports physical, your child’s weight, blood pressure and pulse will be recorded. Additionally, their doctor will assess their:

• Posture
• Strength
• Flexibility
• Joint function
• Heart
• Lungs
• Abdomen
• Vision
• Ears
• Nose
• Throat

This evaluation will help your child’s doctor address any health concerns that could interfere with their chosen activity, make adjustments to medications and provide advice on how to best maximize their sports performance.

The staff at Banner Children’s is here to help your child have as much fun as possible playing the sports they love. Contact us today to schedule a sports physical.