Many student athletes are playing sports year-round, and the lack of sufficient recovery time is contributing to a rise in overuse sports injuries. Overuse injuries, damage to bones, muscles, ligaments or tendons caused by repetitive stress, among athletes ages 15 to 24 jumped 17 percent from 2023 to 2024, according to the National Safety Council.

Athletic Trainer Americ Alvarado notes that the variety of sports without rest is the main cause for these injuries in young athletes.

“When you’re stacking school sports on top of club and travel teams, your body never really gets a break,” Alvarado said. “That’s when overuse injuries start to show up.”

In the high-pressure environment of Bay Area high schools, where the ‘hustle culture’ is reflected on the playing field, student-athletes are finding it harder than ever to take a season off and give their bodies necessary rest.

“When an athlete plays multiple sports, injuries are often easier to work with because the body is adapting to something new. Overuse injuries feel deeper and more constant,” Alvarado said. 

Dr. Peter J. Millett, Chief Medical Officer at The Steadman Clinic and a nationally recognized orthopedic surgeon, says year-round play increases injury risk in young athletes.

“Year-round play raises injury risk because it removes the off-season your body needs to recover, and repeats the same movements over and over,” Millett said. 

A study published by the National Library of Medicine supports Millett’s comment, finding that students who played sports year-round had a 42 percent higher risk of overuse injuries compared to athletes who took at least one season off. 

Sophomore Fin Braun plays both high school and club soccer, meaning she plays the sport year-round. Braun tore her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) last March during her season with the Marin Football Club (Marin FC) and knows firsthand the pressures of competing year-round.

“I had played through pain before my injury because I never had a serious one. I thought I’d be fine, but with a [torn] ACL, you can’t just play through it,” Braun said.

Millet and Alvarado both emphasized the negative impacts of pressure from coaches or parents in this struggle for student-athletes.

“Pressure to perform often pushes athletes towards too much load and too little recovery,” Millett said. “When athletes hide symptoms or play through pain, small problems can turn into bigger injuries.”

Alvarado sees the impact of that pressure firsthand through his work at a high school and constant interactions with student-athletes.

“There’s definitely been an increase in injuries, especially with recreational and travel sports being added on top of school sports,” Alvarado said. 

Many student-athletes feel that pressure both before and after an injury depends on the situation and coaches themselves.

“Some coaches make me feel a lot of pressure, [while] others don’t. Everyone pressures themselves, but I feel like competition shouldn’t affect your [student-athlete’s] health choices,” Braun said. “It was really hard to stay positive when I got injured because recovery takes so long; but staying positive is all you can do.”

Millet, who works closely with the National Football League, National Hockey League, and Major League Baseball  Players’ Associations, further explained that athletes who compete in the same sport for more than eight months a year – and train more hours per week than their age, face a significantly higher risk of overuse injuries. 

“Bone and tissues need time to adapt. If training increases too quickly, the body can’t remodel fast enough, and small damage builds into stress injuries,” Millet said. “The growth plate is still developing [for teenagers and is] weaker than [the] adult bone, so repeated running, jumping or throwing can irritate it more easily.”

The Bay Area’s highly competitive youth sports culture has encouraged specialization from a young age. Millet and Alvarado both explained how bodies need rest in order to prevent long term damage.

“If I could change something about youth sports, it would be making sure players take care of their bodies outside practice and don’t overwork themselves,” Braun said.

As competition has been increasing and more student athletes feel pressure to specialize early, it is important to note the key isn’t quitting sports but it’s learning to listen to your body.

“Listen to your body, especially when you’re tired or something feels off [is important]. That could prevent injuries before they happen,” Braun said.

“I know my body was feeling tired right before I tore my ACL because I just came back from a skiing trip. That was part of the reason my knee wasn’t as strong as it could have been,” Braun said. “It’s important to actually take care of your body outside of practices, not just rely on stretching or warm-ups during training.”

Alvarado explained that when student-athletes feel balanced managing both school and sports, their bodies tend to respond better. But when students are mentally drained, the potential for an injury often follows. 

“Pain is information, not a challenge,” Millett said. “If something hurts in a way that’s persistent or changes how you move, speaking up early isn’t a weakness—it’s the smartest way to protect your season and your long-term health.”

For Braun, prevention now comes down to listening to her body. “I feel most at risk when I haven’t been strengthening or stretching and I didn’t have a good warm-up,” Braun said.

 Alvarado encourages student-athletes to listen to their bodies.

“Once your season ends — whether it’s school or club, give your body a break or switch sports,” Alvarado said. “Different movements work different muscles and help prevent overuse. Your body needs an off-season. Without it, small aches can turn into bigger injuries.”