Young Athletes and Growth Plate Injuries

Here are a few articles on children and sport related injuries. All but the last couple on the list are devoted to growth plate injuries. This suggests issues regarding the appropriateness of some sorts of high impact (such as heavy bag and makiwara use as well as some tanren) training for younger karateka. Although I do not teach children, when asked I usually recommend the use of lighter target pads with students younger than about sixteen years old. At the very least instructors should be aware of the possibility of these types of injuries.

Have a look:

Growth Plate Injuries in Young Athletes.

Excerpt From Growth Plate (Physeal) Fractures

Coaching Young Athletes

Increase in Adult-Type Injuries in Children and Adolescents

Epidemiology of Children’s Individual Sports Injuries