EP 1,294B – Denver Broncos Top Doctor warns: 10 year- olds facing “Pro-Injury” Epidemic

We are seeing injuries in kids that we typically see in collegiate and adult athletes, often 10 years sooner than expected." Denver Broncos head team physician, Dr. Karim Meijer.

Dr. Meijer will discuss how the professionalization of youth sports is breaking our kids. We are witnessing a disturbing trend in youth sports: 10- and 12-year-olds are landing on operating tables with adult-sized injuries like ACL tears and Tommy John surgeries (ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction, repair, or augmentation). Dr. Karim Meijer, Medical Director and Head Team Physician for the Denver Broncos, calls this the "Pro-Injury" Epidemic. Children are being pushed into grueling 25+ hour weekly training schedules across school and club teams. Parents believe year-round specialization secures college scholarships. Instead, it is causing permanent physical damage before high school even begins.