February 2015

Child ExerciseParticipation in sports activities can be wonderful for a child’s physical and emotional health. But where’s the line on your child’s exercise routine, and how much is too much?

The answer lies in each individual child. What might be too much for one child may be completely healthy for another. It’s important to know what your child can handle, and also to take steps to prevent exhaustion, injuries, mental “burn out,” and eating disorders.

While the risk of injury varies from sport to sport, the most common cause of injury, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is overuse: