Blog post from our board member Dr. Robert Bacci: Benefits of multi-sport participation – Courtesy of Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy
PLAYING MULTIPLE SPORTS IS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO YOUNG ATHLETES IN THE LONG RUN
In our last blog, we discussed how single-sport specialization is a trend that’s becoming increasingly more common in youth sports, even if it may not be in the best interests of these young athletes. As we noted, children who specialize in one sport are up to 93% more likely to suffer from an injury than those who play multiple sports, and they are also at an increased risk for burnout from fatigue and not giving taking adequate time for recovery.
For these reasons, most experts recommend that young athletes should diversify their pursuits and try to engage in multiple sports throughout most of their childhood. Research has shown that doing so is healthier for athletes and more likely to lead to long-term success. For example, early participation in multiple sports is associated with:
- Better overall motor and athletic development
- Longer athletic careers
- Increased ability to transfer sports skills
- Higher levels of motivation and confidence in sports
- Better decision-making, pattern recognition, and increased creativity
It may also come as a surprise and conflict with popular assumptions, but most athletes who play at the collegiate level have histories in multiple sports rather than just one. Read more…