The Importance of Stretching Young

Why is stretching important? My step-son began playing soccer when he was eight years old and baseball when he was nine. We were always told that little kids are springy. That stretching isn’’t really necessary when they are young but that it is good to start the habit. I am here to tell you it is necessary as long as your child is growing.

My stepson is now thirteen and very active in soccer. He plays in the summer. He plays inside in the fall and winter. This spring he began practicing with a travel soccer team, in the hopes of making it and wanted to go out for the school team in August. While practicing with the travel team he was also deep in the middle of a baseball season.

Last summer I noticed a lump about an inch or two below his knee cap, he said it didn’’t really bother him and I thought nothing of it. Mainly because this was a child who thought he was the red power ranger when he was five through 9 and spent most of those ages on his knees. Once he got into soccer he thought he was always suppose to by sliding, doing bicycle kicks, etc… I figured he had scar tissue.

One night after practicing I noticed the lump seemed larger. When prodded my step-son admitted it was bothering him more, but never wanting to stop playing, hadn’’t felt the need to say anything.

He needed a physical to play school soccer so I asked the doctor to please check take a look at the lump. The outcome: My step-son cannot do any activity that requires running, jumping, or squatting for at least six months. He explained that when a child is highly active and going through a growth spurt the growth plate can grow faster than the muscle will stretch, in part because the constant running keeps the muscles tight. The muscle then becomes so tightly stretched across the bone of the growth plate that it contacts the growth plate and eventually becomes fused with it. It is called Osgood-Schletters Disease.

This causes an area of inflammation. There is no quick cure. All he can do is rest and stretch. Eventually the lump and pain goes away. Had my son not complained about his stretches and done them correctly since he was ten, his muscles may have been limber enough to stretch as the bone grew. As it stands if they do not loosen up his growth in that leg could be stunted. We were told that he would have to come back in six months to have his knees X-rayed to see if the condition had decreased, and we would go from there. The bottom line is he may not be able to re-enter sports until he stops growing.

Don’t let this happen to your child. If they love what they play they will be crushed, like my step-son. Stretching is important. No matter how springy anyone tells you they are.