IS PARTICIPATION TO COMPETITIVE SPORTS ALWAYS BENEFICIAL FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS?

Key words: Competitive sports, Sports-related injuries

Sports-related injuries are particularly frequent and severe in pediatric age and specially in adolescents. In one year period, in Trieste, 4% of the population aged 6-15 years suffered from sports-related injuries. In 25% of cases injuries were classified as medium to severe. Long term sequelae were observed in 30% of 220 subjects with severe limb lesions and 61% of these subjects still showed sequelae after 12 years. Sex and type of competitive sports were not associated to the severity of sequelae, the letter being associated with the severity of the original injury. The developmental peculiarities and particular susceptibility of teenagers must be taken into account in order to provide preventive advice.