The 3 Most Common Injuries in Youth Sports (And How to Prevent Them) - Cedar Park Athlete Training

As parents, nothing is more stressful than seeing your child sidelined by an injury. Whether they play baseball, soccer, football, swim, or any other sport, injuries are, unfortunately, part of the game.

But many of the most common injuries in youth sports are completely preventable with the right training, preparation, and recovery habits.

At Barbell Coalition, we work with young athletes every day to help them stay healthy, strong, and ready for competition.

Here are the three most common injuries we see in youth sports—and how to help your athlete avoid them:

1. Sprains & Strains (Especially in the Ankles and Hamstrings)

Sprains involve overstretching or tearing of ligaments, while strains affect muscles or tendons.

Ankle sprains and hamstring strains are extremely common, especially in sports like soccer, basketball, football, and track.

How to Prevent It:

✔ Proper Strength Training: Building strength in the lower body—especially around the ankles, hips, and hamstrings—reduces the risk of these injuries.

✔ Dynamic Warm-Ups: A proper warm-up that includes mobility drills and light movement prepares the body for intense activity.

✔ Balance & Stability Work: Simple drills like single-leg balance exercises can improve joint stability and reduce ankle rollovers.

2. Overuse Injuries (Including Tendonitis and Stress Fractures)

Young athletes who specialize too early or play year-round often develop overuse injuries. Common examples are shoulder tendonitis in baseball/softball players, or shin splints and stress fractures in runners and soccer players.

How to Prevent It:

✔ Rest & Recovery: Your athlete needs regular breaks during the year to let their body recover.

✔ Cross-Training: Encouraging paricipation in different sports or balanced strength & conditioning can prevent overuse of the same muscle groups.

✔ Watch for Warning Signs: Ongoing soreness, pain with basic movements, or fatigue that doesn’t go away are red flags—don’t ignore them.

3. ACL Tears (Knee Injuries)

ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears are serious knee injuries often seen in cutting and jumping sports like soccer, basketball, football, and volleyball.

Female athletes are particularly at risk due to anatomical and hormonal factors.

How to Prevent It:

✔ Strength & Stability Work: Strengthening the hips, glutes, hamstrings, and core improves knee stability and reduces risky movement patterns.

✔ Landing Mechanics: Learning how to properly jump and land—with knees aligned and controlled—reduces ACL injury risk.

✔ Agility & Change of Direction Training: Structured drills that teach safe movement patterns during quick cuts and pivots can dramatically lower injury risk.

Cedar Park/Leander Parents: Our Training Will Make Your Athlete More Resilient

Here in Cedar Park, our training has been shown time and time again to boost sport performance, reduce in-game injuries, and create a more confident athlete.

Click here to book your free consultation and tour of our facility!