An early focus on a single sport may carry lasting injury risks for athletes

Year-round training has become normal for many young athletes chasing scholarships or professional dreams. New research suggests that narrow focus may come with physical costs that appear years later.

Two studies presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons examined how early single-sport specialization affects the body over time. One focused on college-age athletes and hip health. The other analyzed injury patterns among National Football League players.

Together, the findings point in the same direction: athletes who diversify their sports during adolescence may face fewer injuries later.

Michael C. Willey, MD, FAAOS, an orthopaedic surgeon at University of Iowa Health Care, led the college study titled “Early Specialization in Youth Sports is Associated with Hip Pain and Surgical Treatment in College-Age Athletes.”

“We noticed many young patients with hip dysplasia or femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) had participated in year-round impact sports like gymnastics, dance, soccer and basketball,” Willey said. “During critical growth years, the developing hip is highly sensitive to repetitive loading, especially in sports with deflection or instability events. Over time, this can cause the hip socket to remodel to accommodate the abnormal impingement. While this may be asymptomatic early on, it can lead to impingement, labral tears, cartilage damage and even early arthritis later in life.”

Researchers surveyed 1,018 college students ages 18 to 22 across five universities. Participants reported whether they had specialized in one sport between ages eight and 14, along with injury history, treatments, and current health. Hip function and pain were measured using the International Hip Outcomes Tool.

About 37 percent of respondents said they had quit other sports to focus on one primary activity during youth. Baseball or softball, basketball, soccer, track or cross-country, and volleyball were the most common.

The differences were noticeable. Athletes who focused on one sport early were more likely to report hip or groin pain than those who played multiple sports, 62.7 percent compared with 53.3 percent. They were also more likely to stop their primary sport because of injury, 68 percent versus 55.4 percent.

Women in the study reported higher rates of hip or groin pain than men. They also underwent more treatment, both non-surgical and surgical. Among participants with hip pain, early specialization was linked to higher surgical rates, 21.3 percent compared with 12.4 percent. Hip arthroscopy was the most common procedure and was reported by 39 participants.

Specialization was also associated with lower hip function scores, indicating worse pain and mobility. Researchers did not find a connection between early specialization and non-hip orthopaedic surgeries or lower mental health ratings.

One joint, repeated stress, and years of training can intersect in ways that are not obvious until later.

A second study asked a different question. Does early specialization influence injury risk even among pro athletes?

Gnaneswar Chundi, a third-year medical student at Rutgers New Jersey School of Medicine, led a retrospective analysis titled “Early Sports Specialization Is Associated with Increased Orthopaedic Injury Incidence in NFL Athletes.” The research examined 2,556 players drafted into the NFL between 2011 and 2023.

Players were categorized based on high school participation. Multi-sport athletes competed in at least one additional varsity sport besides football. Single-sport athletes focused only on football.

Researchers gathered injury data from ESPN and ProSportsTransactions.com, including both total injuries and major injuries defined as missing four or more games or being placed on injured reserve. To account for differences in playing time, injury rates were calculated per 1,000 career snaps.

Multi-sport athletes experienced lower injury rates across the board. Total injuries averaged 1.113 per 1,000 snaps compared with 1.565 among single-sport athletes. Major injuries averaged 0.849 versus 1.238.

Statistical analysis found multi-sport participation was associated with a 20 percent reduction in total injury incidence and a 23.5 percent reduction in major injuries. The pattern held across most playing positions, except quarterbacks and offensive linemen. Draft round did not affect injury risk.

“These findings suggest that encouraging young athletes to diversify their sports participation may help reduce injury risk and improve long-term musculoskeletal health,” Chundi said. “This has important implications, especially as year-round training is often required of athletes for a specific sport. Athletes, parents, coaches and athletic trainers all need to be aware of these risks.”

Researchers suggested movement diversity may improve motor learning, joint stability, and resilience. The study authors also noted that further longitudinal research is needed to understand the biological mechanisms involved.

The original story "An early focus on a single sport may carry lasting injury risks for athletes" is published in The Brighter Side of News.

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