Sports Medicine Experts Address Young Athlete Injuries and the Dangers of Sports Specialization

Event:             Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) 14^th Annual
Sports Medicine for the Young Athlete Conference

More than 30 million children participate in sports every year in the United States, and it is estimated that more than 3.5 million of those children receive medical treatment for sport injuries. To help educate pediatricians, physicians, athletic trainers and physical therapists on the physical risks of sports specialization in young athletes, how to properly manage sports-related medical issues, and the latest treatment advances, Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City is hosting its 14^th Annual Sports Medicine for the Young Athlete Conference.

This conference will draw on the expertise of Hospital for Special Surgery’s Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service as well as other leaders in the fields of sports medicine and pediatrics.

Date:               Saturday, February 25, 2012

Time:              7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Place:             Uris Auditorium

1300 York Avenue at 69th Street

(adjacent to Hospital for Special Surgery)

                        Weill Cornell Medical College

New York City

Personnel:     Jordan Metzl, M.D., Pediatric Sports Medicine Physician and national sports medicine expert, Hospital for Special Surgery 

                        Daniel W. Green, M.D., Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery 

Keynote         Marjorie Snyder, Ph.D., SHARP Executive Leadership Team and Research Director, Women’s Sports Foundation

Address:         “Title IX at 40: What Does the Future Hold?” 

Details:           Increasingly, young athletes are specializing in just one sport, leading to a heightened risk of injury along with additional physiologic and psychological demands from intense training regimens. With an increased level of intensity among young athletes, it is important to recognize and identify the physical and mental risks associated with sports specialization.

“Sport specialization in young athletes has become an increasingly controversial subject for parents, coaches, and health care providers. Yes, it probably produces better baseball players, soccer players, gymnasts and swimmers, but at what cost?” says Jordan Metzl, M.D., Hospital for Special Surgery. “By providing this forum, an interdisciplinary conference that will address these issues, we are trying to help health care providers who work with athletic kids and teens make the best possible decisions for their patients.”

A national expert in pediatric sports medicine, Dr. Metzl is co-director of the symposium and will also moderate a panel on headaches and bone health in young athletes.

In addition to physical risks of sports specialization in young athletes, topics at the 14^th Annual Sports Medicine for the Young Athlete Conference will include:

·        Hip pain in adolescents

·        Shoulder dislocation in the adolescent athlete

·        ACL injury prevention

·        Strength training for young athletes

·        Swim mechanics for young athletes

For the full program, please follow the link:  

https://cmetracker.net/HSS/Files/Brochures/606687.pdf 

If you are interested in attending the event or if you would like to speak with Dr. Metzl or Dr. Green prior to the event, please contact Phyllis Fisher or Tracy Hickenbottom, Public Relations, Hospital for Special Surgery, at (212) 606-1197, fisherp@hss.edu or hickenbottomt@hss.edu. 

We also invite you to contact us throughout the spring sports season if you would like to interview members of the Hospital for Special Surgery Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service when you are writing and need background on sports-related injuries.