A growth spurt can be a very frustrating experience. It is a period of rapid increase in height and weight, at a time when the body is going through a variety of changes at once, making it difficult to adjust during competition. Adolescent growth spurts in girls occurs from ages 10-12. For boys it’s a bit later, ranging between the ages of 10-14. There are some exceptions, but generally we see rapid growth at these ages.

The growth spurt period can be a mixed bag for parents. Seeing your child mature into a teen before your eyes is an incredible experience. At the same time, it is critical to monitor young athletes during their growth spurt stage since they are more susceptible to injury during this period. When it comes to helping a child get through their growth spurt, the two primary factors parents need to keep in mind are the physical and mental challenges.

1—PHYSICAL AWARENESS

It is generally accepted that if you want bigger muscles you lift weights. By lifting weights you’re placing a stress on your muscle, asking it to grow and meet the challenge you want it to overcome by moving the weight. This is basically what transpires during a growth spurt. The muscles and tendons are growing because stress is being placed on them from the growth of bones. However, muscles and tendons grow in length but often not at the same rate as the bones. This occurs as the muscles and tendons are responding to the stretch caused by growing bones. If the bone growth changes in velocity (a spurt), then the attached soft tissues can have a tough time keeping up. Limbs grow at different rates, leaving teens uncoordinated, clumsy and unconfident. The nervous system is also trying to adjust to the rapid growth of limbs, muscles and nerves.

According to Dr. Eric W. Edmonds, a pediatrician at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, CA, a consistent stretching routine during this period can dramatically improve flexibility and reduce chance of injury. Lack of flexibility is one of the factors that relate to being injury prone, since it basically disrupts the normal mechanics of the body. “A period of rapid growth can indeed be a risk factor for sports-related injury because the skeletal growth is not matched by muscle and tendon growth allowing for decreased flexibility and therefore risk of injury,” he says. “Stretching is very important during these time periods.”

Dr. Edmonds suggests stretching before and after athletic contests is paramount. Most youth teams stretch prior to practice or games, so you may have to set aside some time at home to help your child stretch. “I think the number one activity is stretching, but clearly, with a growth spurt usually comes increased weight, and an increase in muscle strength and tone are needed to accommodate the body to the activities being performed,” he says. “With improved muscle control, the child becoming adolescent should also develop better coordination, but I’m not sure if specific activities are warranted for all young athletes.” Be patient. It will come. During the growth spurt, the No. 1 priority should be protecting your child from injury.

2—MENTAL AWARENESS

Any parent who has attended a youth sporting event has likely witnessed a growth spurt in action and not been aware of it. For example, picture a soccer field with 12-year-old boys scattered all over the field, chasing a checkered ball. In the middle of the action, a boy stands out among the pack because he seems to be a bit bigger and taller than most. Rather than dominating the smaller kids for the ball, the bigger kid is having a hard time moving around naturally, tripping over his feet and not changing direction as well, while the other kids race past.

In most cases, these are signs of a growth spurt. It is easy to see why some may interpret certain movements to indicate a child is not being aggressive enough or actually “dogging it” an unfortunate term some coaches use to describe partial effort. Parents should be extremely understanding to the changes occurring in their child’s body during this period while ensuring there are no nagging strains or stresses on the body. Being harder on them or negative about their play will not help them get through their growing pains any quicker. In fact, it can have a lasting damaging effect. They are likely to be extremely frustrated and need to understand they are going through what will eventually be a positive body transformation. “As with all aspects of childhood and adolescence, I think that the psycho-social effects play the greatest role in everything that these young athletes do,” Dr. Edmonds says. “A sudden change in ones ability to perform at the optimum level during a growth spurt can often feel devastating to a young athlete, but role models need to keep them focused on the bigger picture of musculoskeletal health and encourage them to understand that as long as they can remain injury free, they can always improve their game.”

Parents should also be fully aware of the physical nature of their child’s sporting activities during this period to be sure they are not at risk. “Parents should observe the rules set-forth to protect young athletes such as pitch counts, etc.,” Dr. Edmonds says.

During a child’s growth spurt, it is important to give the body time to adapt to the massive physical changes while increasing their level of confidence in their current abilities. Parents should consider a growth spurt a temporary existence—understanding, patience and guidance are what a child needs to get through it. Following this period, young athletes can focus on developing strength to become more powerful and explosive in their respective sports.