Youth Sports Specialization with Dr. Neeru Jayanthi

Although early specialization in sport may pose a risk to some youth athletes, is it possible to have success with specialized training? What is it about the workload-injury relationship and injury risk factors that practitioners must take into account when taking care of specialized athletes? On this episode of the AMSSM Sports Medcast, host Dr. Giorgio Negron is joined by one of the leading experts on youth sports health, Dr. Neeru Jayanthi, to discuss the topic of youth sports specialization.

In this conversation Dr. Jayanthi addresses the following topics:

• Definition of youth sports specialization
• What are the potential risks of injury for youth athletes pursuing sport specialization?
• Is there any research regarding training guidelines or protocols for youth pursuing sport specialization?

References:

Jayanthi N, Saffel H, Gabbett T. Training the specialised youth athlete: a supportive classification model to keep them playing. Br J Sports Med. 2021 Nov;55(22):1248-1249. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2020-103880. Epub 2021 Aug 11. PMID: 34380644.

Jayanthi N, Kliethermes SA, Côté J. Youth sport specialisation: the need for an evidence-based definition. Br J Sports Med. 2020 Feb;54(4):196-197. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2019-101256. Epub 2019 Dec 19. PMID: 31857339.

Myer GD, Jayanthi N, Difiori JP, Faigenbaum AD, Kiefer AW, Logerstedt D, Micheli LJ. Sport Specialization, Part I: Does Early Sports Specialization Increase Negative Outcomes and Reduce the Opportunity for Success in Young Athletes? Sports Health. 2015 Sep-Oct;7(5):437-42. doi: 10.1177/1941738115598747. Epub 2015 Aug 6. PMID: 26502420; PMCID: PMC4547120.