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Is Early Sport Specialization Harming Our Children?, Kendra Dunsford Dpt, Scs, Stc, Preeti Oza Pt, Phd
Is Early Sport Specialization Harming Our Children?, Kendra Dunsford Dpt, Scs, Stc, Preeti Oza Pt, Phd
Pacific Journal of Health
Sports and physical activity in children are healthy and have numerous positive mental and physical health benefits. Recently, there has been a shift away from deliberate play and focusing on specializing in a single sport from a young age. Participating in rigorous training and competition schedules 8 months out of the year for prepubescent athletes has garnered attention from the medical community. It is assumed that this type of early specialization has the potential to cause negative effects, especially in terms of overuse injuries, nutritional deficiencies, poor sleep hygiene, and mental health concerns. While there appears to be a consensus …