Before letting young athletes play like the pros, know the risks – both physical and mental – of putting undeveloped muscles and bones to the test. Dr. Joseph Chorley, assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, suggests parents wait for indicators of physical maturity before allowing their children to engage in intense, physically demanding activities and year-round sports. Indicators for boys include needing to shave and for girls, the beginning of menstruation, said Chorley, who is also a sports medicine specialist at Texas Children's Hospital. "It is difficult to set an age at which kids should be allowed to throw a curveball (which puts undue stress on the shoulder and elbow) or play their sport of choice year-round," he said. "At 14, kids are at such different developmental stages than one another that the decision needs to be individualized." Exposing a body too soon to intense physical …

Last Modified: Monday, February 26th, 2007 @ 05:00

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