Welcome to Parkway Physiotherapy's patient resource about training for kids.
Strength for Kids
Strength Training and the Young Athlete
Will lifting weights stunt a child’s growth or injure their softer growing bones?
This article will hopefully clear up a few misconceptions and lay some ground rules for training the young athlete.
1. The Central Nervous System: The true measure whether a youngster should strength train is based on the maturity of the nervous system, not the number of birthdays that have been celebrated. If we apply exercises correctly, no child’s muscle system will be damaged, however a lack of movement control can lead to unsafe exercises and injury.
2. Maturity of Bone: A Study of 10-11 year old boys and girls showed a 40% increase in strength after a nine week program. The risk is that young developing bones are softer and more elastic. The ground rules, therefore, are to train with excellent form and to keep loads low to begin. As for the argument that we will stunt the growth of a youngster, the opposite is actually true as long as good form is held. Muscle contractions will stimulate bone thickness and stimulate bone growth.
3. Hormones: The reason boys and girls react differently to strength training after puberty is due to androgenic, or muscle building hormones. Before puberty, neither boys nor girls will appreciate significant growth of their muscles although they can certainly become stronger. In the adolescent athlete, muscle size increase are possible and sometimes recommended but will depend on the level of hormones in the individual.
4. Technical Issues: A physiotherapy or orthopaedic assessment is required without question. Even body weight exercises such as pushups are often performed incorrectly to the point that postural problems are made worse. Adding more resistance to poor form will not improve results.
Strength training must be progressed, step by step, for each individual, based on the factors above. Stretching for Kids
Stretching for Kids
When is the best time for my child to start stretching exercises?
Boys 9-12 and girls 8-11 can start general stretches.
The phase for girls 11-15 and boys 12-16 requires the greatest emphasis on flexibility training due to the growth of the child’s bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This period in a child’s development is also called the adolescent growth spurt. The adolescent should be assessed for muscle or posture imbalance during this period. Be patient on the stretching program during this phase as bones grow faster than muscles and tendons. Some kids go through an uncoordinated or goofy phase as they try to regain control on their limbs.
Parents, coaches, educators and athletes need to be aware of characteristics of the adolescent growth spurt so that exercises and training can have the greatest effect on the health and performance of the child. For a young athlete, the growth spurt also marks the time to develop the child’s aerobic base.
Now we must issue a warning - Please see a physiotherapist before embarking a young person on a stretching program. Some people have loose joints that should not be stretched and some will perform their stretches from poor postures. Stretches incorrectly performed can make a poor posture worse or lead to injury. |