A leading orthopedic surgeon in Greater Cincinnati, who treats the Reds, Bengals and student-athletes, is seeing a growing problem with our kids and sports.Dr. Timothy Kremchek with Beacon Orthopedics and Sports Medicine says in the last five years, he's performed about 6,500 surgeries. Twenty percent of those were patients age 18 or younger. "To me, that is absolutely astonishing. Eighteen-year-olds should not be hurt… should not be on the operating table. I see thousands, almost 15,000 people a year and I see thousands of kids that come in hurt because of fatigued, tired, injured things that they probably could have avoided," Kremchek said. Kremchek calls it an epidemic. He says our fascination with winning, getting free tuition or going pro is pushing kids in every sport, at every level, in every community and our kids are paying the price -- kids like Nicole Williams. Williams was known for her 3-pointers when she played at Kings. Then, her dream came true. She got a full ride to play basketball in college. Williams admits that basketball defined her. "That was my thing. Everyone knew me as the basketball player," she said. Just six games into her freshman year at Milligan College, the high of being on the court came to a crashing end. "Then we traveled to Florida for a Christmas tournament, and I just got into the game, and as soon as I went to step to tip the ball, I felt it and I heard it," William said. After two years, three surgeries and endless rehab to her knee, Williams hasn't played since. The physical pain doesn't hurt nearly as much as the emotional pain, she said. "I haven't really let it all out about how upset I really am about it. I never really got the chance to show what I can do. I mean it's my passion and I can't do it anymore," she said. Her mother, Bev Williams, cries while listening to her daughter talk about the end to her basketball career. "She's played basketball since she was in the second grade and started playing AAU in the fifth grade. It's what we did as a family," Bev Williams said. Kremchek is treating Nicole Williams and sees dozens of young athletes like her every week. He understands most athletes push themselves and want to play at any cost, but says too often, kids are playing through pain out of pressure from parents, from coaches and sometimes from sponsors. "In my opinion, in what I do in my small little world of orthopedic surgery, sports medicine and taking care of kids, high school athletes for my entire career, this is child abuse," Kremchek said. He says the problem starts at a young age when we limit our kids to one sport. Instead of athletes taking a season off, Kremchek said they're playing year-round and they're using the same muscles over and over again. "During that time, they're still playing indoor baseball and practicing and hitting and throwing. How can they not get hurt?" he said. Nicole Williams quit other sports to perfect her jump shot. Now that basketball is in the past, her mom can't help but wonder, did they push too hard? Weekends on the road, limited time for friends, vacations spent in a gym… "You're sitting there as a parent. Why aren't you putting her in? She needs to play, you know, and why are you only playing these people? I mean, you get drawn into that instead of sitting back and letting her have fun," Bev Williams said. It wasn't the ending Nicole Williams wanted, but she insists, "I really wouldn't give it up for anything even though it turned out like this.” But her mom hopes other parents see their story and realize the risk. "I think I would say, ‘A scholarship is great, but is it the world?’" Bev Williams said. Kremchek understands the love of the game and the passion to play, but his message to every parent and every coach out there is: "It's our job to promote health and a healthy lifestyle. This is not a healthy lifestyle." For years, Kremchek has been outspoken about young baseball players throwing too much, too young and changes were made limiting how many pitches Little Leaguers can throw in a game. He hopes the same happens for all young athletes. He says moderation is key, as is giving your kids enough time to truly heal when they do get hurt.
CINCINNATI —
A leading orthopedic surgeon in Greater Cincinnati, who treats the Reds, Bengals and student-athletes, is seeing a growing problem with our kids and sports.
Dr. Timothy Kremchek with Beacon Orthopedics and Sports Medicine says in the last five years, he's performed about 6,500 surgeries.
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Twenty percent of those were patients age 18 or younger.
"To me, that is absolutely astonishing. Eighteen-year-olds should not be hurt… should not be on the operating table. I see thousands, almost 15,000 people a year and I see thousands of kids that come in hurt because of fatigued, tired, injured things that they probably could have avoided," Kremchek said.
Kremchek calls it an epidemic.
He says our fascination with winning, getting free tuition or going pro is pushing kids in every sport, at every level, in every community and our kids are paying the price -- kids like Nicole Williams.
Williams was known for her 3-pointers when she played at Kings. Then, her dream came true.
She got a full ride to play basketball in college. Williams admits that basketball defined her.
"That was my thing. Everyone knew me as the basketball player," she said.
Just six games into her freshman year at Milligan College, the high of being on the court came to a crashing end.
"Then we traveled to Florida for a Christmas tournament, and I just got into the game, and as soon as I went to step to tip the ball, I felt it and I heard it," William said.
After two years, three surgeries and endless rehab to her knee, Williams hasn't played since.
The physical pain doesn't hurt nearly as much as the emotional pain, she said.
"I haven't really let it all out about how upset I really am about it. I never really got the chance to show what I can do. I mean it's my passion and I can't do it anymore," she said.
Her mother, Bev Williams, cries while listening to her daughter talk about the end to her basketball career.
"She's played basketball since she was in the second grade and started playing AAU in the fifth grade. It's what we did as a family," Bev Williams said.
Kremchek is treating Nicole Williams and sees dozens of young athletes like her every week. He understands most athletes push themselves and want to play at any cost, but says too often, kids are playing through pain out of pressure from parents, from coaches and sometimes from sponsors.
"In my opinion, in what I do in my small little world of orthopedic surgery, sports medicine and taking care of kids, high school athletes for my entire career, this is child abuse," Kremchek said.
He says the problem starts at a young age when we limit our kids to one sport.
Instead of athletes taking a season off, Kremchek said they're playing year-round and they're using the same muscles over and over again.
"During that time, they're still playing indoor baseball and practicing and hitting and throwing. How can they not get hurt?" he said.
Nicole Williams quit other sports to perfect her jump shot.
Now that basketball is in the past, her mom can't help but wonder, did they push too hard?
Weekends on the road, limited time for friends, vacations spent in a gym…
"You're sitting there as a parent. Why aren't you putting her in? She needs to play, you know, and why are you only playing these people? I mean, you get drawn into that instead of sitting back and letting her have fun," Bev Williams said.
It wasn't the ending Nicole Williams wanted, but she insists, "I really wouldn't give it up for anything even though it turned out like this.”
But her mom hopes other parents see their story and realize the risk.
"I think I would say, ‘A scholarship is great, but is it the world?’" Bev Williams said.
Kremchek understands the love of the game and the passion to play, but his message to every parent and every coach out there is: "It's our job to promote health and a healthy lifestyle. This is not a healthy lifestyle."
For years, Kremchek has been outspoken about young baseball players throwing too much, too young and changes were made limiting how many pitches Little Leaguers can throw in a game.
He hopes the same happens for all young athletes.
He says moderation is key, as is giving your kids enough time to truly heal when they do get hurt.
