DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Our teenagers are both student athletes and active in their sports year-round. I'm concerned about injuries that could sideline them. What should we watch for?

ANSWER: As the school year ends, summer sports heat up for students and adults alike. Summer may be a prime season for a sport, such as baseball or running, but athletes of all types also may be on a traveling team, heading to a sports camp or just honing their skills with off-season practices.

No matter an athlete's age, they need to be aware of and condition their body to prevent injuries that can put their sport on hold. Here are several to watch for:

Heat-related injuries. When it's hot and humid, proper hydration is essential. Signs of overheating include not sweating, feeling extremely thirsty, becoming dizzy, experiencing a headache or vision changes. These symptoms call for immediate attention. All athletes should hydrate before, during and after their activity. Water is best, as are drinks that replenish electrolytes lost through perspiration.

Sprains and strains. These common injuries can affect ankles, knees, hips and shoulders. However, they aren't traumatic injuries like fractures or a complete ligament tear, and they tend not to require long-term recovery.

Tendons attach muscles to bones, while ligaments attach bones to bones. A sprain is the stretching or partial tearing of the fibers in a ligament. A muscle or tendon strain may result from overuse, leading to inflammation. Both are treated by modifying activity, rest, icing, and taking over-the-counter pain and anti-inflammation medications. Physical therapy may be needed to rebuild strength and range of motion.

Fractures. A fracture is a broken bone. Fractures often occur during falls, such as when skateboarding, or from collisions with other players or objects. Fractures can be cracks or complete breaks that may or may not require surgery. Treatment and recovery depend on the severity of the injury. Athletes should plan to be in recovery for at least 6 weeks.

Overuse injuries. With the emphasis on early sports specialization, young athletes often spend more time practicing or competing, increasing the risk of injury. This injury risk is especially true for young athletes who are still skeletally immature. That means they still have open growth plates in their bones, making them susceptible to injury, particularly from repetitive motion.

Athletes understand that repetitive motion is the way to improve. However, if a young athlete is pitching every day or repeatedly practicing a volleyball serve, they can overuse a single part of their body. This can lead to inflammation or even damage those areas. One indication of overuse is pain after a game or practice that takes longer to resolve, increasing recovery time.

Safeguards such as pitch counts, which limit the number of pitches a player throws during a game, and built-in rest days are important to preventing overuse injuries.

Another way to avoid overuse injuries —and burnout — is cross-training. For instance, a hockey player may add swimming to their routine, a runner may add weight training, or a soccer player may shoot hoops with friends. This allows an athlete to use different muscles and movements to build strength, flexibility and coordination, while also giving them a mental break.

Concussion. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that affects brain function. Effects are often short-term and can include headaches and trouble with concentration, memory, balance, mood and sleep. Concussions can happen in any sport, not just those in which players intentionally run into each other, such as football or hockey.

If a player experiences dizziness, headache or nausea after an incident during a game or practice, they shouldn't shrug it off — they should step out of the game and tell a coach or parent. Today, most coaches are trained in concussion and return-to-play protocols developed for most sports. Athletes, parents and coaches should take concussions seriously to prevent further injury or long-term symptoms.

Injuries in older athletes. Older athletes returning to a sport or trying a new one are susceptible to the same injuries as young athletes. However, osteoarthritis, or the wearing down of the cushioning cartilage in joints, increases with age. This can lead to pain, swelling and a decrease in range of mobility. Once again, cross-training is key, no matter your age.

All athletes can reduce the risk of injury by getting plenty of sleep, developing healthy eating habits, hydrating and warming up properly before any sports activity.

For parents, if your child finds a sport they enjoy and are passionate about, encourage them, but don't let it become a "job." As a former professional athlete, I advise that, first and foremost, sports should be fun.

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Michael Stuart, M.D., Orthopedics & Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic Health System, Owatonna, Minnesota

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