Is Your Young Athlete Always Sore or Sidelined? Here’s What To Do

Youth sports are in full swing this time of year—football, cheer, cross-country, volleyball, and more. Practices are intense, games are frequent, and the pressure to perform is high. But with all that activity comes the risk of something we see every week at Off The Block Performance Physical Therapy:

A young athlete who’s sore, worn down, or sidelined with an avoidable injury.

If your son or daughter is complaining of constant aches, limping between games, or just “doesn’t feel right,” that’s a sign something deeper is going on. And addressing it early can make all the difference.

Growing Bodies Need More Than Just Rest

During middle and high school, kids go through huge growth spurts—and their bones often grow faster than their muscles, tendons, and coordination can keep up. Combine that with long practices, game schedules, and minimal recovery, and it’s no surprise that things like:

- Knee pain

- Ankle sprains

- Back soreness

- Muscle pulls

- Overuse injuries

...become common, especially during fall.

Client Story: Helping Caleb from Dacusville Get Back on the Field

Caleb, a 14-year-old freshman football player from Dacusville, came to our Easley clinic mid-season with lingering knee pain that had started after two-a-days. He was pushing through practices but couldn’t go full speed—and his confidence (and playing time) were starting to suffer.

During our movement assessment, we found:

- Weak glutes and hamstrings

- Poor ankle mobility on his plant leg

- Limited single-leg balance and control

- Tight quads from rapid growth and increased training load

We got to work immediately with:

✅ Targeted strengthening of his posterior chain
✅ Mobility work for his ankles and hips
✅ Movement retraining for sprinting, cutting, and landing
✅ Soft tissue work and recovery strategies to speed up healing

By the end of his fourth visit, Caleb was back to playing without pain and even earned a starting spot by the end of the season.

How We Keep Youth Athletes Strong, Safe, and Performing

Our goal isn’t just to “rest it and hope for the best.” We:

✅ Identify the root cause of pain, soreness, or injury
✅ Build sport-specific strength and movement patterns
✅ Teach recovery strategies that actually work
✅ Help your athlete return to the field stronger than before

We also provide injury screens, return-to-sport planning, and custom performance sessions designed for middle and high school athletes in all sports.

Want to keep your athlete in the game—not on the sideline?

We help youth athletes in Easley, Dacusville, Powdersville, Pickens, and surrounding areas move better, recover faster, and perform their best all season long.

📞 Call or text (864) 633-9272 to schedule an injury screen or performance session. No referral needed.