Sports participation is beneficial to children in many ways. It can improve physical fitness, coordination, self-discipline and teamwork, as well as promote a sense of personal satisfaction and accomplishment. The risk of physical injury is inherent in sports participation. Furthermore, children are more susceptible to these injuries because they are still growing and are in the process of gaining motor and cognitive skills. It is estimated that half of all organized sports-related injuries among children can be prevented.
Older children are more likely to suffer from bicycle and sports related injuries and overexertion.
However, injuries from recreational activities and individual sports tend to be more severe. Each year, more than 775,000 children ages 14 and under are treated in hospital emergency rooms for sports-related injuries. The majority of these injuries are from falls, collisions, being struck by an object and overexertion, and occur during unorganized or informal sports activities. It is estimated that half of all significant sports-related injuries are treated in sports medicine clinics instead of hospital emergency rooms. Approximately 1 in 4 of these injuries is considered serious.