Rehabilitation and return to sports in children

T h e re has been a growing incidence of sports injuries among children and adolescents due to increased partici - pation in sports activities. Overuse injuries commonly seen in this age group may be due to growth characteristics of the immature skeleton. Both the treatment and pre v e n t i o n of these injuries in children and adolescents r e q u i re a good insight into physiologic characteristics of the immature skeleton, gro w t h - related changes in musculoskeletal struc - t u res, and specific injury profiles. The treatment consists of determining the predisposing factors, restoring normal bio - mechanics, alleviating pain and inflammation, and imple - menting an active rehabilitation. It should also enable the patients to return to daily living activities and pr e i n j u r y sport levels, with increased awareness to the possibility of re c u r rences. A rehabilitation program involving acute, sub - acute, and late stages, and return to sports should be designed to safely improve motor performance skills, per - formance, and sport-specific skills.