Spine Talk

This is the time of year when the bats are swinging, the baseballs are flying and the boys and girls of summer are at least thinking of the words to the world’s best baseball song… “Put me in coach. I’m ready to play. Today” As the official spine surgeons for the Frisco RoughRiders, a minor league affiliate of The Texas Rangers, the specialists at Texas Back Institute examine many of these young players when back injuries strike. Often, these injuries are exacerbated when young players – middle school, high school, collegiate and professional - try to “play through the pain.” A recent article in the Wall Street Journal noted overuse injuries are a serious problem, particularly for younger boys and girls. These are caused by the repetitive stress of the muscles and skeletal system without giving them enough rest. According to the article, more than 50 percent of the pediatric sports injuries occur due to a focus on a single sport by a young athlete. Teams, of all skill levels, are trying to combat these in