Future superstars or fragile futures? The good, the bad and the ugly of early sports specialisation

Angela Smith is an attending orthopaedist at Nemours/Alfred I duPont Hospital for children, and Clinical Professor of Orthopaedics and Paediatrics at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. She is the past president of the American College of Sports Medicine, and acts as a member of the Executive Committee of FIMS. She draws upon her extensive clinical experience of working with youth athletes to discuss with BJSM’s Liam West the hotly debated topic of early sports specialisation. Is this needed in order for athletes to be success? Or are we causing a higher injury risk in these kids? All this and more inside the podcast… Further Reading: Caring for the young athlete: past, present and future - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/3/141 Debunking early single sport specialisation and reshaping the youth sport experience: an NBA perspective - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/3/142 Early sport specialisation, does it lead to long-term problems? - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/47/17/1060 Youth sports injury prevention: keep calm and play on - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/3/145 Sports specialised risks for re-injury in young athletes: A 2+ year clinical prospective evaluation - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/4/334.2 Promoting the athlete in every child: physical activity assessment and promotion in healthcare - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/3/143 Similar Podcasts: Injuries in kids: Why do they occur? Is specialisation a problem? Sam Blanchard - http://bit.ly/1HqnXsf