Local Sports Med Expert Weighs in on Teen Health & Sports

We all want to keep our teens fit and healthy and, for many teens, this includes playing competitive sports – which has some parents wondering, is it a "good challenge or too much of a good thing?”

Sally Harris, M.D., MPH, is a specialist in pediatric and adolescent sports medicine at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and a clinical instructor of pediatrics at Stanford Medical School. She has authored numerous clinical and patient articles about pediatric sports medicine and served as an editor of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ second edition of  Care of the Young Athlete.

In a recent interview, Dr. Harris answers questions parents commonly ask about their teen athletes. Dr. Harris addresses how some injuries vary by gender, back pain and stress fractures, and explains overuse injuries. Her insights also dispel the “no pain, no gain” philosophy, which can result in your teen sustaining more serious injuries, some with lasting effects.

Learning how to help prevent injury is one more way to help your teen enjoy a healthy, winning season!