Comprehensive Care for Sports-Related Conditions in Children

University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s has one of the most comprehensive pediatric sports medicine programs in the nation. Our clinical team is led by board-certified and fellowship-trained pediatric sports medicine specialists who are at the forefront of research in sports medicine and innovative treatments for a wide range of sports injuries. Through our highly specialized approach, we are able to diagnose, treat and rehabilitate young athletes with conditions ranging from the more common to the highly complex.

Expertise Across a Full Range of Sports Related Injuries

From the child who falls on the playground to the competitive high school athlete, our sports medicine experts have the experience and knowledge necessary for safe and effective recovery. As part of a large health system, we are able to provide integrated care to our patients, with strong collaboration between orthopaedic surgeons, sports physical therapists, nutritionists and other specialists depending on the condition and unique situation.

The conditions we treat and services we provide include:

• Acute injuries, like ankle sprains, muscle strains, shoulder & knee injuries and fractures. These also include dislocated shoulders and hand or wrist fractures.
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
• Assessment of sport - specific needs in specialized populations such as Special Olympics athletes
• Acute illness that can affect young athletes, such as infectious mononucleosis, asthma or diabetes
• Athletes with eating issues, irregular menstrual cycles and/or loss of bone density
• Exercise guidance for patients who want to increase their fitness
• Growth plate injuries
• Injury prevention for all ages
• Meniscus tears
• Mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) and other head injuries
• Nutrition, supplements, ergogenic aids and performance issues
• Overuse injuries, like tendinitis, stress fractures and back pain
• Pre-participation sports physicals
• "Return to play protocol" decisions for the sick or injured athlete
• Specialized guidance for youth and women athletes

Age Appropriate Treatment for Conditions Affecting Young Athletes

Because children’s bodies vary so greatly from adults, pediatric expertise is essential when treating sports-related injuries and conditions. We always take a lifelong approach to care. Not only do we treat the young athlete of today, but we also consider how the body will heal and change as the child grows. With our pediatric expertise, we’re able to develop age-appropriate treatment plans that promote healing and wellbeing far into adulthood.