Children's Hospital Colorado

Sports Injuries Articles

Concussions, ACL tears, ankle sprains – injuries are an unfortunate reality of the sporting world. Despite the risk of injuries, our experts believe that the benefits of athletic activity greatly outweigh the risks.

Our experts share advice on how to best avoid injuries so athletes can stay in the game and how to overcome injuries when they do occur. From identifying concussions to understanding the importance of sports specialization, we’re here to help you stay safe, healthy and in the game.

How to avoid and treat sports injuries

Concussion Myths and Misconceptions

Concussions harm young athletes and parents have questions about them. We tell you what research says about common myths and misconceptions about them.

The Dos and Don’ts of Stretching a Newly Injured Muscle

Although muscle injuries are common among young athletes, understanding the dos and don’ts of healing those muscles could make the difference in returning to play.

Training Reflexes to Reduce Athletic Injury Risk (and Improve Performance)

Learn about reducing the risk of injury and improving performance through proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, the training of reflexes.

Preventing Youth Sports Injury: How Strength Conditioning Helps

Complete prevention of youth sports injuries isn’t possible but incorporating strength and conditioning can help. Additionally, reinjury can occur if an athlete returns to play to soon after injury.

Why Growth Plate Injuries Are a Risk for Young Athletes

Growth plates add length to the long bones of the arms and legs. During adolescence, when they’re growing fastest, they’re also most susceptible to injury.

Performance Enhancement in Youth Sports

Sports performance enhancement is different than performance-enhancing drugs. And actually, performance enhancement can provide several benefits for young athletes.

Diagnosing Sports Injuries with Orthopedic Ultrasound

Musculoskeletal ultrasound machines are becoming an increasingly popular tool for orthopedic specialists, especially when it comes to diagnosing injuries in young athletes. The machine is a cost-effective alternative to MRI and CT.

Emotional Effects of Concussion

Along with the common physical symptoms of a concussion, young athletes may experience emotional changes. The emotional effects of concussions differ from patient to patient, which is why monitoring and proper care are so important. Learn more here.

Return to Play After a Concussion

Experts at our Concussion Program talk about rest, recovery and minimizing the risk for Second Impact syndrome in children with concussions. Learn which tools and tests are used to determine if your child can return to play after a concussion.

Concussion Facts for Families with Young Athletes

Looking for concussion facts and resources you can rely on? Learn about concussions, myths to avoid, long-term effects and treatment options from our team of experts.

The Psychology of Recovering from a Sports Injury

Our pediatric sports experts know that psychological healing is key to recovering from a sports injury. Learn how we support physical and mental health.

What's the Deal with Dry Needling?

Dry needling might sound unpleasant, but according to our physical therapist Kristine Rabin, PT, DPT, it’s similar to a deep-tissue massage.

Sport Specialization: One or One Too Many?

Read why many young athletes who specialize in one sport experience increased stress on the same muscles, bones, tendons or growth plates.

Ready, Set, Go! Half-Marathon Training Tips

Training for a half-marathon is a big commitment but a wonderful achievement. Read these tips to keep you healthy for the long-term.

Little League elbow: Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

Little League elbow is one of the most common conditions causing elbow pain in young athletes. Find out the signs, symptoms and treatment of the condition.

Concussion Articles

Popular articles about concussions from sports, written by experts at Children's Hospital Colorado.

ACL Graft Options

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) has limited healing capacity. Find out if an autograft or allograft is better for treating an ACL injury