Early Sport Specialization…. good or bad?
At the start of every year, sportspeople right around the country make goals for the year ahead and to achieve that, avoiding injury is key. NIALL O’KEEFFE, a Muscular Injury Therapist, provides guidance for young athletes on the importance of the right training for their chosen sport.
Early Sport Specialization (ESS) refers to intense year-round training in a specific sport with the exclusion of other sports at a young age. This approach to training is heavily debated and there are claims both in support and against ESS, which is considered to be more common in the modern-day youth athlete and could be a source of overuse injuries and burnout.
For example, a sixteen-year-old high level Irish dancer, who engages in high volume intense training at a young age, can lead to several significant impact related injuries. This type of case highlights the historical context of ESS, the potential risk and benefits as well as the evidence for its effectiveness. It is important for health care professionals and parents to be informed on the topic of ESS in order to educate athletes, kids, coaches and organizations of the potential risks and benefits.
ESS is gaining attention in the media and scientific literature. There is much debate whether or not ESS is necessary and/or appropriate for obtaining elite status in sports. It is also questioned if ESS leads to more injuries and burnout in youth sports.
effectiveness and safety of ESS
The effectiveness and safety of ESS is being debated and there are currently two main schools of thought. The claims supporting ESS state that specializing at a very young age may allow faster skill development to help gain a competitive edge. This advantage aids in acquiring talent recognition earlier leading to opportunities such as provincial programs, showcase teams, scholarships, or professional contracts.
The claims against ESS state that specializing at a very young age could lead to more physical and psychosocial problems and stall athletic development. ESS may lead to more overuse injuries and burnout from excessive training at a young age. Claims against ESS support diversification in sports in order to sample many sports, develop a variety of motor skills and maintain interest in sport by keeping it fun.
To specialise in only one sport at a young age means that only the same muscle patterns are being used consistently and this can often lead to overuse injuries of these muscle groups i.e., an Irish dancer constantly overloading the lower limbs or a swimmer with shoulder issues from repetitive strain etc.
When examining what leads a child to become involved in ESS there are multiple factors to consider. It was found the parents are the strongest initiator of sport for youth provincial athletes.
However, coaches are typically the first to recognize a child athlete as “gifted” or “special” and encourage specialization. It is not commonly the athlete that encourages specialization before the age of ten. Before this age, the athlete is typically not psychologically mature to understand the importance, responsibility, commitment, and ramifications of year-round training in sport. It is also important to note that our modern-day media driven, commercialized society plays a role in encouraging ESS. There are endless commercials, advertisements, training programs being geared towards specialized sports training targeting youth athletes.
Developing a Sport Specific Approach
With the limited evidence surrounding the topic, ESS could be approached from a sport specific standpoint. All sports have their own inherent demands, risks and cultures that must be considered. Therefore, when considering what age is appropriate to initiate specialization, it is critical to look at each sport differently.
It is essential to understand the typical ages for talent recognition, peak performance, and length of typical career. Diverse examples would be comparing gymnastics and golf. Gymnastics is an early entry sport that has an age of peak performance at a very young age, especially for females. Gymnastics also has a short career, with peak performance lasting a short period. Golf on the other hand is a sport that has an age of peak performance extending into the 4th and 5th decades of life, with a much longer career length. Therefore, these sports are hard to compare when discussing aspects of sport specialization. It is also important to always consider that each individual athlete is different and responds to different training volumes and demands differently.
It is common for therapists to treat adolescent athletes. Therefore, it is important to be educated on how young athletes can perform their sport in a safe and effective manner. Therapists must take a sport and athlete specific approach when providing advice on the correct time to specialize.
In today’s world, sports are becoming increasingly popular, competitive, and demanding. Youths are engaging in sports at a much younger age and taking on higher training loads with more specialized approach. There are currently claims both for and against specializing in sport at a young age. Presently, there is no evidence to support ESS and it is not supported by any authoritative body.
To become an elite athlete, there may be situations when sport specialization is necessary. However, understanding when to specialize and focusing on the right training at the right time is imperative to promote long term success for the athlete.