REP Physio in Edmonton is proud to offer youth sports performance training at both of our south Edmonton locations. With a systematic, guided approach to sports performance training, young athletes can reduce the risk of injury and gain a competitive edge.
Additionally, youth sports performance training can prompt athletic development and lead to success in a young individual’s athletic career. With the clinical expertise of our experienced therapists and personal trainers, working in concert with coaches and parents, young athletes can boost their potential, increase their physical literacy, and minimize their chance for injury.
The Benefits of Youth Sports Performance Training
As mentioned above, youth sports performance training can help unlock a child’s athletic potential while minimizing injury risk. By taking into consideration a child’s age and stage of development, combined with an understanding of the demands of the sport, the staff at REP Physio can design a plan that works best for the young athlete
At REP Physio, our experience tells us, and evidence supports, periodized workout plans to help athletes peak for specific competitions and tournaments. Through a tailored performance training program working in concert with your coach and/or other trainers, we can set your child up for the best chance for success.
For example with a proper loading (i.e. exercise protocol targeting specific muscles and movement patterns) a basketball player can increase their vertical jump height. Whether you are an elite, olympic level athlete or a weekend warrior (and REP Physio has treated them all), athletes from all kinds of sports and walks of life can benefit from a training and injury management protocol in order to maximize their chances for success.
The Types of Performance Training Available
There are multiple training options that can complement sport.When working in a team setting sport such as hockey, group training is a fantastic team bonding experience and can build team spirit. Some examples include group yoga classes for flexibility, traditional strength training for muscular performance and strength, and high or low intensity cardio. Agility training is a great way to help improve overall fitness.
At REP Physio, we work alongside parents, coaches and trainers to ensure the youth athlete maximizes their potential and minimizes injury risk. This typically begins with a thorough assessment of an athlete’s strength, balance and mobility. From this, we can identify any movement, mobility and strength deficit that may pre-dispose someone to an increased injury risk. An example of this would include a significant discrepancy in muscular strength on one side of the body compared to the other.
REP Physio uses evidence based, digital measurement tools to quantify an athlete’s strength as well as industry standard testing methods to ensure we get measurable, legitimate results that we can be improved upon. We also offer movement screens and running analysis to help screen for injury risk and biomechanical dysfunction. Additionally, we are certified in Functional Movement Systems (FMS) and Selective Functional Movement System (SFMA) to help screen athletes for movement impairments and dysfunction. With this knowledge in hand, we work alongside an athlete’s personal trainer and coach to maximize their athletic performance.
Overtraining and under recovery, common causes of youth athlete injury
Want to know the secret to better performance in sport? It’s a simple combination of load, rest and sports specific movement. Youth athletes need to build the fundamentals of their sport to excel. Injury prevention should be a priority when training athletes. To enhance athletic performance, trainers and specialists will often utilize sport specific athletic movements in training.
For example, the needs of a competitive hockey player will be different from those of a competitive gymnast. With proper load and rest, this can be extremely beneficial.
However, regardless of sport, we often see youth injury due to overtraining or under recovery. At REP Physio, we frequently discuss the tissue load vs. tissue capacity balance with young athletes. This is because, in many instances, athletic injury is not due to a traumatic event, like a sprained ankle. In brief, if tissue load (i.e. exercise/sports etc.) continually exceeds tissue capacity, it can result in pain and tissue breakdown. Rather it is due to overtraining or under recovery.
How do you know if you are overtraining?
Signs typically include pain during said activity and pain that lasts greater than 24 hours after activity exposure. Other symptoms can include increased heart rate at rest accompanied by increased fatigue. In rare instances, overtraining can cause a serious medical condition known as Rhabdomyolysis. Commonly referred to as “rhabdo” this condition causes damaged muscle tissue to be released into the blood and urine. This can cause serious complications for the heart and kidneys, and in rare instances can be fatal.
How Much is too Much? Activity Guidelines for Youth
Kids 5-11: 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day. Moderate activity includes fast walking, biking, skating and skateboarding. Vigorous activity includes running, basketball, soccer and cross country skiing With moderate activity you should still be able to carry on a conversation. With vigorous activity, you would be unable to say more than a few words at a time.
For sports, it is generally recommended that kids practice no more than one hour per week per child age. For example, an 8 year old should practice gymnastics no more than 8 hours per week and so on.
Where Can You Get Youth Sports Performance Training?
REP Physio in Edmonton offers two locations with certified personal trainers and physiotherapists at each location. We have fully equipped gyms to meet the needs of athletes. We are currently accepting new pediatric and youth athlete clients. Working together, we can assess your injury and sport specific goals, and design a plan that best meets your needs. Often, this can complement current training regimes or replace existing programs as needed.
