SmartTeams Talk Short: Address Sleep Deprivation In Youth Athletes To Reduce Injury Risk, Say Drs. Hainline and MacDonald

Sleep deprivation increase sports injury risk, says Dr. Brian Hainline, Chief Medical Officer of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and Dr. Jim MacDonald, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Family Medicine at The Ohio State University, Dr. Hainline pointing to a study finding that, if an athlete is progressively sleep deprived over a period of 12 weeks, their neuromuscular performance will continue to diminish, even when the athlete believes that, after three days, they are back to normal., and Dr. MacDonald to studies finding that sleep deprivation increases the risk of overuse and fatigue injuries.  Dr. MacDonald joined the American Academy of Pediatrics in recommending later start times for high school to honor teens' natural sleep cycle.