Youth sport has changed. What was once a couple of games on the weekend has morphed into packed schedules of school sport, club training, representative teams and extra skills sessions.
For many young athletes, it is not uncommon to train or compete most days of the week. While this creates great development opportunities, it also introduces a growing challenge – managing load. For physiotherapists, supporting young athletes is about helping them navigate the demands of sport, school and growth safely and sustainably.

These days, young athletes often play school sports during the day once or twice a week, followed by after-school club team training one or two nights a week, then compete on the weekend. Add in representative squads, strength sessions or extra coaching, and the total load can add up quickly. The challenge is that this load is often uncoordinated. Usually, different coaches would not be communicating with each other, and parents may not have a clear understanding of the exertion on their child. It is easy to underestimate how much stress an athlete is under if you are only seeing one piece of the puzzle.

Of course, kids are also growing! During growth spurts, bones lengthen faster than muscles and tendons can keep up and adapt to the changes, which can affect flexibility and coordination. Combine this with extensive training and little rest, and the risk of injury is high.

It comes as no surprise that, as a result, physiotherapists are seeing more overuse and load-related injuries in younger people. These aren’t always emergencies and can present as:

• Ongoing knee pain
• Heel pain
• Shin soreness
• Shoulder irritation
• Recurring muscle tightness

Physiotherapists are in a unique position to support young athletes before these injuries become more serious. This starts with asking the right questions:

• How many teams are you playing for?
• How many sessions do you train each week?
• Do you have any rest days?
• What other physical activity are you doing?

From there, physios can pinpoint early warning signs, change their schedule to reduce symptoms and help guide a safe return to sport while also educating athletes and families. It’s important to note that it’s not about stopping sport altogether.

One of the best things a physio can do is to help their young patients understand the relationship between load and recovery. It is not just about how much activity they are doing, but how well they are coping with it. Using a session rating of perceived exertion (RPE), where they rate how hard a session felt, can help build a clearer picture of total weekly load.

Monitoring recovery is just as important. Changes in sleep, mood, motivation or performance can be early indicators that an athlete is not tolerating their current load. Persistent fatigue, irritability or a drop in performance should not be ignored.

Physiotherapists can use this information to guide conversations with families and adjust training loads before injuries develop.

The first step is to get everyone on the same page. And this can often be the hardest step.

Parents may prioritise opportunity and enjoyment, while coaches may focus on performance and team selection and then schools may have their own expectations around participation. With everyone working together, decisions can be made about which activities can continue, which ones should be reduced and how long this is likely to last. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Simple strategies are most effective:

• Track weekly activity: Encourage athletes or parents to keep a rough record of training sessions, games and extra activity.
• Avoid sudden spikes: Large jumps in activity, such as going from one game a week to multiple games and training sessions, can trigger injury.
• Build in rest: At least one to two rest days each week can make a significant difference, particularly during busy periods.
• Modify, don’t stop: In many cases, reducing training intensity or volume is enough to settle symptoms.
• Act early: Small “niggles” are often the first sign that the load is too high and changes are needed.

While it is easy to focus on the current season or competition, physiotherapists look at the bigger picture. This means helping young athletes stay healthy through growth periods, build strength and movement skills, avoid burnout and ensure kids enjoy sport for years to come.

Managing the load of young athletes is becoming more and more important. From weekend warriors to representative players, today’s young athletes are balancing more demands than ever. Without careful management, this can increase the risk of injury and disrupt development.

By understanding their full load, psychotherapists can guide smart decisions and work collaboratively with families and coaches. Ultimately, the goal is not just to get young athletes through a season. It is to help them enjoy sport for years to come.