Here in the LA Region, there are many opportunities for youth athletes to play sports year-round, both indoors and out. Although the availability of year-round sports offers many advantages for kids and teens, it’s important to watch for symptoms of overtraining or signs of injuries from accidents on the court or in the field. 

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In this guide to injuries that commonly occur during those winter season sports, we’ll share some common health concerns to watch for—and how to prevent them.

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Common winter season youth sports

There’s no doubt that soccer is one of the most popular youth sports played in the LA region, with some clubs offering winter leagues or indoor games. Similarly, basketball leagues play this time of year in schools and rec leagues. The beginning of the year is also a popular time for youth volleyball, competitive swimming, and gymnastics.

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While there are countless benefits to participating in youth sports—from fitness to teambuilding skills, and in some cases, the start of lifelong friendships—excessive running, jumping, throwing, falling, and pivoting can wear on an athlete’s body over time, even at a young age.

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What are some common injuries sustained by youth athletes in winter?

Here at our LA-based pediatric orthopaedic facility, we often find the following sports injuries:

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Sprained Ankles

Whether skateboarding on a mild day, snowboarding at a nearby mountain, or sustaining an injury during an indoor soccer game, sprained ankles are one of the most common youth sports injuries, caused by overstretching or tearing a ligament. 

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Common symptoms related to an ankle sprain are:

• Outside of ankle pain, tenderness, swelling or bruising
• Painful weight bearing
• Stiffness or inability to fully move ankle

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Prevention tips: 

Perform proper stretching and warm up exercises, and engage in ankle strengthening exercises. Also, wear well-fitting shoes when exercising. If your child has previously had ankle sprains, consider ankle tape or a lace up ankle brace.

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Learn more about sprained ankles in our health information library.

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Knee Injuries

Sprains and strains are common at the knee, too, and can lead to long-term injuries if not treated correctly, especially after playing sports like hockey, basketball, and gymnastics.

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Common knee injuries for youth athletes include:

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Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tears

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four major ligaments in the knee and provides stability. A common ACL injury is a tear, which may occur during sports that involve sudden stops and pivots, like during a soccer or basketball game. 

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ACL tear symptoms include:

• Immediate, rapid swelling
• Pain
• Inability to weight bear
• Unable to move knee
• Popping sound or sensation at time of injury
• Feeling of knee “giving out” when in use

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Prevention tips: 

Exercises to strengthen the hamstrings and quadriceps are key. Have athletes practice proper landing techniques, too, but be sure to avoid over-training. Appropriate footwear is beneficial, as well.

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Osgood-Schlatter Disease

Osgood-Schlatter disease is an overuse condition of the knee that causes pain and swelling at the growth plate below the knee. Like other pediatric overuse injuries, it often occurs due to repeated stress from activities like soccer, basketball, or gymnastics. 

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Common symptoms include:

• Pain and swelling at the bump below the knee
• Pain when running or jumping
• Weakness in the quadriceps muscles

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Prevention tips:

The most important thing to do is to have your child limit activity as soon as he or she notices the painful bump on the top of the shin bone. Proper warm-up and stretching exercises of the thigh, hamstring, and calf muscles may help prevent Osgood-Schlatter disease.

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Patellar Tendinitis (Jumper's Knee)

The patella is the kneecap, and patellar tendonitis is a knee injury characterized by inflammation of the patellar tendon and overuse. The patellar tendon is located at the front of the knee between the kneecap (patella) and shinbone (tibia) and allows your child to straighten their knee so they can run or jump. When this tendon becomes inflamed, it’s called patellar tendonitis. You might also hear it referred to as “jumper’s knee” and is a common condition for youth athletes who play volleyball and basketball.

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Common symptoms related to patellar tendonitis are:

• Pain, usually felt between the kneecap and where the tendon attaches to the shinbone
• Dull ache
• Swelling
• Tenderness

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To prevent patellar tendinitis, it is important to incorporate proper warm-up and stretching routines before exercise, focus on strengthening the quadriceps and hamstrings, and avoid excessive jumping or running without adequate rest. If symptoms arise, rest and physical therapy can help manage the condition.

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Prevention tips: 

Perform warm up and cool down stretches, especially the thigh muscles, and do exercises to strengthen thigh muscles Avoid playing or practicing on hard surfaces, like concrete, and avoid single-sport specialization (which may cause overuse injuries). 

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Learn About Our Dynamic Injury Prevention Program For Knee Stabilization

This DIP Program consists of a warm-up, stretching, strengthening, plyometrics, and sport specific agilities to address potential deficits in the strength and coordination of the stabilizing muscles around the knee joint. Learn More or Watch Our Video

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Concussions

Whether your child plays a contact sport or not, concussions can still be a significant concern whenever there’s potential for falls or collisions. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury; while properly fitting helmets are crucial for sports like hockey, in sports where helmets aren’t necessary, like basketball, concussion prevention and awareness are still valuable. While not always obvious, concussions should be taken seriously as they can have long-term consequences on a child’s health and cognitive function.

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‍Concussion symptoms include:

• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness and balance problems
• Fatigue
• Sensitivity to light and noise
• Neck pain and stiffness

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Prevention Tips:

Wear appropriate headgear and be sure that coaches are trained in managing collisions and head injuries.

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Wrist Injuries

Training young athletes on how to fall safely—by using their body to cushion the impact instead of relying on their hands—can reduce the likelihood of wrist injuries.

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Common wrist injuries include:

Fractures: Although broken bones might not always be obvious, typical signs of a pediatric wrist fracture may include an inability to move the wrist or hand, pain and swelling in the affected area, bruising or redness in the wrist or forearm, and deformity of the wrist, hand, or forearm.

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Sprains and Strains: Wrist sprains are most often caused by the child falling on an outstretched arm, or a similar impact from contact sports that forces the wrist to hyperextend and tears the surrounding soft tissue and ligaments. Common signs of a wrist sprain include swelling, bruising, pain or tenderness, and weakness. 

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Gymnast Wrist: Gymnast wrist is a repetitive stress injury that causes pain and inflammation on the thumb side of the wrist. It usually develops when a gymnast increases training intensity or moves to a higher competitive level.

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Learn About LuskinOIC’s Sports Medicine Program

At LuskinOIC, we specialize in helping young athletes get back in the game by tailoring our treatments to each child’s unique needs. Our approach goes beyond treating tendonitis or meniscus tears and providing physical therapy; we provide accessible expertise, often free of charge, making us the top choice for active families.

Learn more about our sports medicine program and meet the team here!