Children’s health: sport and exercise

Children’s Health: Sport and Exercise offers an in-depth exploration of pediatric sports medicine, emphasizing injury prevention and management in young athletes. This five-unit course equips healthcare professionals with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of high-level sports participation in children and adolescents.

Unit 1: High-Level Sports Participation and Injury Data
Understand the patterns and statistics of sports-related injuries in children. This unit explores injury prevalence across various sports, focusing on the most affected areas such as the lower limbs in soccer and the upper limbs in baseball. It introduces key considerations like load management and sport-specific risks.

Unit 2: Introduction to Apophyseal Injuries
This unit introduces apophyseal injuries, common in growing athletes. It covers the mechanisms, diagnostic imaging options (e.g., ultrasound, MRI), and distinguishing features of conditions like apophysitis and avulsion fractures. Emphasis is placed on recognising the impact of growth spurts and repetitive stress.

Unit 3: Management of Apophyseal Injuries – Hip and Knee
Focuses on injuries like Osgood-Schlatter’s disease and hip apophysitis. This unit discusses clinical assessment, diagnostic techniques, and tailored interventions. Participants will learn how to balance rest, rehabilitation, and return-to-play strategies to optimise outcomes for knee and hip injuries.

Unit 4: Management of Apophyseal Injuries – Ankle and Foot
Explores conditions such as Sever’s disease and Iselin’s disease, detailing their causes, diagnostic challenges, and management strategies. Techniques like bracing, orthotics, and calf stretching are reviewed, with insights into managing heel pain and growth plate injuries in the lower limbs.

Unit 5: Overall Prevention and Management Considerations
This unit emphasises holistic approaches to prevention and care. Topics include injury risk reduction through load management, delayed sports specialisation, tailored strength and conditioning, and age-appropriate training programs. The course also explores the psychological and physical development of young athletes and the role of technology and tools in prevention strategies.

By integrating evidence-based practices with practical tools, this course ensures participants are well-equipped to manage sports-related health issues in young athletes while promoting safe and effective participation in physical activities.