Can Children Use Weights

With the rising number of children and adult who are suffering from obesity, more parents are growing their curiosity as to whether their children can use weights as part of their fitness activities.

Currently, there is no empirical study yet to either confirm or negate that proper usages of weights will cause damage to the joints or growth plates of a child. And also there are several conflicting opinions about the matter.  Though there is an evidence to suggest that children who begin good health and fitness habits early in life will have a lower risk of disease and illness as they reach adulthood.

The initial concern about children lifting weights stems from a couple of issues.  One was a result of a research study done on children in concentration camps during WWI who were doing heavy manual labor, receiving poor nutrition and little sleep.  This is the study to which people point when they claim that weights will damage the growth plates and joints of children.

Interestingly, growth plates is that part of the bone which enables a person to grow in length and this don’t usually close until around 18 years of age on average for either sex. Most trainers who believe that the growth plates will be damaged also state that young people 16 and older can lift weights.  And since the plates aren’t closed until around 18 years old this argument doesn’t hold water.

The criteria that should be used for children to use weights is whether they are able to appropriately follow directions and are involved in a sport that their performance will benefit from the use of weights.

Let us put it this way, a child age 7 to 10 years old might probably be doing push-ups.  At this age they can weigh between 60 and 100 pounds.  While doing pushups they are placing a weight of between 30 and 50 pounds on their shoulders.  This is using weights.  Similarly, when children are jumping they are placing weight stress on their knees, ankles and hips.  Have you ever heard any doctor preventing children to play with their friends?  None, right?  Remember when children are playing with their friends, tendency is they will jump and run and this is already likened to weight lifting.

In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine Certified News December 2000 physicians agreed that weight lifting for young children posed no risk for to their joints and growth plates when the weights were used appropriately.  The National Strength and Conditioning Association also states that they believe there is no harm associated with using weight with children.

Come to think of it, the issue is actually not the literal weight lifting but it is an issue on maturity. When children start using weights at a young age to improve their performance in their sport, they might be too much engaged on the idea of using weight and they sometimes lose the whole fun aspect of the sports and sour on team performance or performance sports at a young age.

As always, it is highly recommended to consult physician before adding a weight training aspect to the conditioning of young athletes to be cleared for the extra work in their program.  While weights are not a problem for normally maturing joints and growth plates, children who have specific problems or issues should decrease the amount of weight work they do or forego it entirely until the joints have healed.

When training younger athletes the use of functional sports activities rather than strength training specific muscles improves the athlete’s performance while not becoming a mental drain on the child.  For instance, using old tires, pushing automobiles across the parking lot, using parachutes in the gym or rope climbing all achieve the same results of working a muscle against a weight resistance.

Weight program for children should never be designed like  it is for adults. Instead a certified professional trainer who is familiar with working with children should design a program specific to the needs of the child and the intended sport

 RESOURCES

MayoClinic: Tween and Teen Health: Strength Training Ok for Kids?

KidsHealth: Strength Training and Your child

The Kids Doctor: Should Children Lift Weights

KidsHealth: Nutrition and fitness Center

Dr Gabe Mirkin: Children Can Lift Weights at Any Age

http://drmirkin.blogspot.com/2010/12/children-can-lift-weights-at-any-age.html