In addition, preteens going through puberty may also become less coordinated as they adjust to their physical changes, which can increase the risk of injury. The chance of injury increases with the degree of contact in a sport. Knee injuries are the most common serious injury in major sports. Most sports injuries involve the soft tissues of the body, not the bony skeleton. Only about 5 percent of sports injuries involve fractures.
Sprains are injuries to the ligaments, which connect one bone to another.
Strains are injuries to the muscles. If players wear protective equipment, many sports injuries can be prevented. You should urge your young athlete to use protective gear and teach your child that this equipment will increase long-term enjoyment of the sport. Appropriate warm-ups and stretching decrease the chance of muscle and tendon injury. However, an estimated 83,000 people were injured on trampolines in 1996, more than double the number of people injured in 1990.