Why are sports injuries rising in kids and adults?
Sports injuries are rising across all age groups. Kids train harder, start younger and rarely take seasons off, which leads to more overuse injuries. Adults are more active through pickleball, weight training and CrossFit, but bodies at 65 do not recover as fast as they did at 25. The Michigan Center for Regenerative Medicine treats these injuries every day.
Why Injuries Are Rising Among Both Youth Athletes and Weekend Warriors
Sports injuries are on the rise across all age groups. Older adults are more active than ever, thanks to the rise in popularity of pickleball, weight training, and a renewed focus on health and fitness. Younger kids are playing sports at earlier ages, and parents are having to face the decision of pursuing club level sports for their kids to even remain competitive. This increase has led to significant sports injuries, which we see and treat every day here at The Michigan Center for Regenerative Medicine.
Alarming Stats Related to Sports Injuries
Below are a few alarming stats related to youth and adult sports injuries:
- According to ADTALEM, elbow and shoulder injuries have increased 5X over the past 25 years in baseball and softball players.
- A recent 2025 article in Sports Health, predicts that sports-related injuries in patients over 65 years of age will reach more than 111,000 by 2040, which is more than double the number of injuries seen in 2021.
The Rise of Competitive Youth Sports
Gone are the days when kids played 2-3 sports and were able to develop a broad set of athletic skills. Because youth sports have become ultra competitive, kids are training harder, faster, and starting at a much younger age. Rarely do kids take seasons off, which leads to higher injury rates. In fact, there are studies that show kids who play different sports across seasons of the year are healthier.
Participating in multiple sports offers a number of advantages:
- Improved hand-eye coordination
- Reduced burnout
- Different muscle development
- Less overuse of certain muscles, joints and tendons
Weekend Warriors Are Also Feeling the Pain
It’s not just kids that are more competitive than ever when it comes to sports. Thanks to the explosive growth of pickleball and adult participation in fitness programs like CrossFit, adults are more active than ever. While staying active has massive health benefits, it’s important to understand that there are also tradeoffs that must be considered.
Injury rates are rising in older adults because bodies don’t recover at age 65 nearly as fast as they do at age 25. With decades of wear and tear on our joints, injuries can happen fast and sometimes be quite severe.
Some of the most common injuries seen in older athletes include:
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Meniscus tears
- Achilles tendon ruptures
- Lower back pain
- Plantar fasciitis
The challenge is that many older adults are still working, and so taking months off for surgery and recovery can be difficult. Thanks to new advances in regenerative medicine, some options don’t involve surgery or powerful medications.
Regenerative Medicine Offers Alternative to Complex Surgery and Medication
There will always be a place for surgery, but many times sports injuries, if caught early, can be treated with minimally invasive regenerative medicine procedures. At The Michigan Center for Regenerative Medicine, we have worked with countless athletes who are dealing with sports injuries due to overuse and/or age. We offer a variety of procedures, including Platelet-Rich-Plasma, Regenerative Orthobiologics using bone marrow concentrate, Prolotherapy, Lipoaspirate, Shockwave, as well as other more traditional treatment paths when necessary.
Regenerative medicine typically offers faster recovery than surgery with fewer risks, and, thanks to our board-certified physicians, can be done in our modern clinic, where we have an in-house lab to improve outcomes. To learn more about dealing with a nagging sports injury, don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with one of our regenerative medicine doctors today by calling (248) 216-1008.
By Board-certified Doctor John Santa Ana, DO
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