Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2015 Sep-Oct;7(5):437-42.
doi: 10.1177/1941738115598747. Epub 2015 Aug 6.

Sport Specialization, Part I: Does Early Sports Specialization Increase Negative Outcomes and Reduce the Opportunity for Success in Young Athletes?

Gregory D Myer  1 , Neeru Jayanthi  2 , John P Difiori  3 , Avery D Faigenbaum  4 , Adam W Kiefer  5 , David Logerstedt  6 , Lyle J Micheli  7
Affiliations
Review

Sport Specialization, Part I: Does Early Sports Specialization Increase Negative Outcomes and Reduce the Opportunity for Success in Young Athletes?

Gregory D Myer et al. Sports Health. 2015 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Context: There is increased growth in sports participation across the globe. Sports specialization patterns, which include year-round training, participation on multiple teams of the same sport, and focused participation in a single sport at a young age, are at high levels. The need for this type of early specialized training in young athletes is currently under debate.

Evidence acquisition: Nonsystematic review.

Study design: Clinical review.

Level of evidence: Level 4.

Conclusion: Sports specialization is defined as year-round training (greater than 8 months per year), choosing a single main sport, and/or quitting all other sports to focus on 1 sport. Specialized training in young athletes has risks of injury and burnout, while the degree of specialization is positively correlated with increased serious overuse injury risk. Risk factors for injury in young athletes who specialize in a single sport include year-round single-sport training, participation in more competition, decreased age-appropriate play, and involvement in individual sports that require the early development of technical skills. Adults involved in instruction of youth sports may also put young athletes at risk for injury by encouraging increased intensity in organized practices and competition rather than self-directed unstructured free play.

Strength-of-recommendation taxonomy sort: C.

Keywords: athletic performance; injury prevention; neuromuscular training; youth sports.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The following author declared potential conflicts of interest: Neeru Jayanthi, MD, is a paid consultant for American Academy of Pediatrics and the Woman’s Tennis Association Tour.

References

    1. Abrams GD, Renstrom PA, Safran MR. Epidemiology of musculoskeletal injury in the tennis player. Br J Sports Med. 2012;46:492-498. - PubMed
    1. American Academy of Pediatrics. Intensive training and sports specialization in young athletes. Pediatrics. 2000;106:154-157. - PubMed
    1. Anderssen N, Wold B. Parental and peer influences on leisure-time physical activity in young adolescents. Res Q Exerc Sport. 1992;63:341-348. - PubMed
    1. Andrew N, Wolfe R, Cameron P, et al. The impact of sport and active recreation injuries on physical activity levels at 12 months post-injury. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014;24:377-385. - PubMed
    1. Andrew NE, Wolfe R, Cameron P, et al. Return to pre-injury health status and function 12 months after hospitalisation for sport and active recreation related orthopaedic injury. Inj Prev. 2012;18:377-384. - PubMed