 balance. This, along with repetitive high-impact landings, may cause the injury. Prevention includes proper training along with strengthening exercises for the core and lower back.
Apophysitis. For skaters who are growing, apophysitis (inflammation and pain where the muscle attaches to the growth plate) can be caused by overly tight muscles in the hip, thigh, and knee areas. One example of apophysitis is Osgood-Schlatter disease, which involves a growth plate near the knee, but apophysitis also appears around bony pelvic areas like the iliac crest. Stretching is especially important for prevention if skaters do a lot of repeated twists and turns during jumps.
AAP Tips to Prevent Figure Skating Injuries:
Share the tips below with your child and his or her coaches.
Participate in off-ice workouts that develop flexibility and strength. Focus on
core stability so you can stay strong on your skates.
Warmup AND cool down after each skating session. Focus on dynamic, movement-based stretching and strengthening exercises during warm-up. Do static stretching (holding a stretch while resting) for the cool down.
Make sure your skates fit properly and are broken in. When boots are too stiff, your motion is limited. This puts stress on the ankle, knee, hip, and back. Resist the urge to buy skates a "little too big" to allow room for growth, and check the fit regularly to make sure your child has not outgrown them.
Sharpen your skates―but not too sharp. Overly sharpened skates tend to pull rather than glide. This may lead to injuries with new skaters.
Check the ice for chips, bumps, and divots. These can cause acute injuries from slips and falls.
Limit the number of repetitions when learning new moves. Hard landings put a lot of pressure on the body. Limiting the number of repetitions of high-impact landings may prevent injury.
Increase training load gradually. According to the
U.S. Figure Skating Association, skaters are more likely to become injured when they increase training intensity or time on the ice by than 10%, especially if they are going through a growth spurt.
Match the move to your skill level. Remember that it can take years of training and practice to execute complex moves safely.
Stop skating if you're in pain.
Overuse injuries happen when skaters train too much, skate with pain, and don't leave enough time for rest and recovery. Try
rest, ice, compression, and elevation to deal with soreness. Talk with your pediatrician if pain continues.
Participate in a variety of sports and activities outside of school. Children who
specialize in a single sport, training year-round from a young age, are more likely to develop overuse injuries.
Remember: When children stop smiling on the ice, that's when it's too much.
Let your child decide if he or she wants competition or to grow in figure skating. Pushing a child to excel is a formula for sports injuries and burnout―especially in an individual sport like skating.
Take steps to prevent skating-related injuries; do what you can to keep your child's time on the ice fun and safe. If your child does develop aches and pains that don't go away with rest, be sure to talk with your child's pediatrician.
About Dr. Fazekas:
Matthew Fazekas, MD, FAAP is a practicing pediatrician in South Florida with fellowship training and board certification in pediatric, adolescent and young adult sports medicine. He currently serves as a consulting physician for U.S. Figure Skating and has served as a consulting and team physician for the Boston Ballet, Northeastern University, and Emmanuel College. He has provided event coverage for the BAA Boston Marathon and other national mass sporting events. Within the American Academy of Pediatrics, he is a member of the Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness (COSMF). Dr. Fazekas is also a member of American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, the American College of Sports Medicine, Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine Society, Alpha Omega Alpha, and the Medical Honor Society.