While there is a certain amount of risk involved in participatory sports, parents, coaches, and program supervisors share the ultimate responsibility for providing maximum safety in a healthy playing climate. A balanced, well-managed sports environment provides a fertile ground for the child's natural growth and development, physically, emotionally, and socially. But even in the safest of settings, accidents happen, and children may get hurt. Surprisingly, fractures account for less than 15 percent of injuries. As a general rule, the younger the child, the less severe the injury.
Growth occurs at the upper and lower end of the long bones of the skeleton.
It is this vulnerable area that is the weakest part of the skeleton, and most prone to injury, especially in the young adolescent. But there are more sports that yield specific injuries. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and the fastest growing team sport in the U.S. Soccer players who are hit by the ball, fall, and come into contact with other players, often suffer bruises, knee, ankle, and shin injuries. Gymnastics is a growing trend in the U.S., with training starting as early as age 3. Although the risk of injury seems proportionate to the skill of the athlete, the greatest number of injuries occur during floor exercises and tumbling, with other injuries resulting from upsets on the balance beam and uneven parallel bars.