Subscribe today for more stories, tips, and updates.

Cincinnati Children's Blog
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • ?
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • ?
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
HOME/Healthy Living/Caring for Young Athletes: The Importance of Pediatric Specialists

Caring for Young Athletes: The Importance of Pediatric Specialists

Caring for Young Athletes: The Importance of Pediatric Specialists
August 17, 2021
0 Comments
By: Kelsey Logan, MD, MPH

Every parent of a young athlete wants their child to participate in the sport they love and be as successful as possible. If that young athlete has an injury, going to specialists who care for professional athletes can seem like a good idea, but care for adolescent athletes isn’t the same as for adults. Pediatric specialists are experts in young bodies, and seeking care from pediatric specialists is important for kids to heal fully and get back to playing the sport they love.  

One of the first conversations I have with new patient families is  a discussion of how young athletes are different from adults – the differences in body size and strength, ‘weak spots’ in the musculoskeletal chain, how the developing brain learns and adapts, and how growth affects both injury and recovery.    

It’s crucial to remember that children are not small adults. Our team of pediatric sports medicine experts are trained first as pediatricians and second as sports medicine doctors. We are experts in the care of children and adolescents, but we also have specialty training in issues affecting physical activity and sports. We have expertise in the young skeleton, movement development, the risk for injury, and holistic care of the young athlete.   

We focus on the injury, pain, or issue affecting physical activity and sports while seeking to understand the other issues that influence the young athlete’s health. These make a difference in both injury risk and recovery and should not be ignored.  We understand how nutrition, stress, and sleep affect injury, which is often overlooked. Our movement and mechanical evaluations target the growing body, and we use this in all evaluations.  

The team we have at Cincinnati Children’s is optimized for the care of young athletes.  In addition to our sports medicine expertise, our Sports Orthopedic Surgeons are known for outstanding surgical outcomes.  Our Department of Radiology is known for its highly accurate imaging, and a commitment to making procedures safe by reducing radiation and making each child comfortable.  We also partner with our Sports Physical Therapy colleagues, who are specialists in treating and motivating children and teenagers.  Our Sports Physical Therapy program is internationally known for providing guidance on the outcomes that matter most to athletes, such as return to play after ACL reconstruction.    

It is important that children and adolescents receive care by specialists for their age and development, so they can most effectively get back to what they love and reach their dreams.  Our program is often asked to provide second opinions for young athletes, after initial consultation with an adult provider.  We are comfortable with this and can give you the answers and guidance you seek.  We can also do this quickly.  It is our goal to see patients same or next day, if desired.    

Your child or adolescent deserves his or her own sports medicine care, specialized for young athletes. Young athlete health and wellbeing is best served by a team of pediatric experts, like ours.  

For more information or to make an appointment with one of our pediatric sports medicine experts, contact the Division of Sports Medicine.  

Subscribe today for more stories, tips, and updates.

Related Articles

8 Misconceptions About Concussions in Kids
8 Misconceptions About Concussions in Kids
Summer Practices: What To Know
Summer Practices: What To Know
Frequently Asked Questions About Little League Shoulder and Elbow
Frequently Asked Questions About Little League Shoulder and Elbow
Winter Sports Injuries: What You Need to Know
Winter Sports Injuries: What You Need to Know
TAGS:
  • orthopaedics
  • sports medicine
  • sports safety
Avatar photo

About the author: Kelsey Logan, MD, MPH

Dr. Logan is director of the Division of Sports Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s and is an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati. She joined Cincinnati Children’s in 2013 from the Ohio State University. Her clinical and research interests include concussion, female athlete health and overuse injuries in sport.

Write A Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

No Comments Yet

Topics

  • Cancer and Blood Diseases
  • Child Development and Behavior
  • Childhood Obesity
  • Chronic Care Networks
  • Cincinnati Walks for Kids
  • Featured Faces
  • Fetal Conditions
  • Fitness and Nutrition
  • Food Allergies
  • Ghana 2012
  • Health Care Public Policy
  • Health Care Quality
  • Health Care Reform
  • Healthy Living
  • Heart Conditions
  • Hospital Operations
  • How We Do It
  • Learning and Growing
  • Meet The Team
  • Nurses Week 2012
  • Patient Family Experience
  • Patient Flow
  • Patient Safety
  • Patient Stories
  • Pin of the Week
  • Radiology
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Research
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Share Your Story
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • Vaccines
  • Volunteerism
  • What Makes Us Different
  • What's New
See All Topics
See Less Topics

Subscribe

Never miss a post! Sign up to get new blog updates delivered to your email.

Popular Posts

  • Caring for the Caregivers of Children with Congenital Heart Disease  2.3k views
  • 6 Questions to Ask When Your Child Complains of Chest Pain 1.8k views
  • Button Batteries: What Parents Should Know 652 views
  • Stuttering In Young Kids: When To Be Concerned 622 views
  • Laryngomalacia: Is My Child’s Noisy Breathing Serious? 593 views
  • Bedwetting Solutions: Tips for Helping Your Child Overcome It 575 views
About

The Cincinnati Children’s blog features thoughts and perspectives from our experts on all things pediatric health. This blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Learn More »

Contact Us
  • 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3026
  • 1-513-636-4200 | 1-800-344-2462
  • TTY: 1-513-636-4900
  • socialmedia@cchmc.org
Connect With Us
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us

© 2009-2022 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center