Wounded Warriors and Physical Fitness

August 7, 2015

Sports and physical activity can contribute in a positive way to many people’s lives. However, I worry that competition has negatively impacted sports for many kids. Tryouts for kids are held four or more months in advance of the season for kids as young as nine or 10. Burnout for these kids happens in middle school, when kids stop participating in sports because they don’t think they are good enough.
In the United States, we need to shift our focus for our kids from creating professional athletes to creating individuals with a love of sport who will exercise for the fun of it and therefore glean the benefits, both physical and mental, throughout their lifetimes.

This article by the Associated Press about wounded warriors is a sad but happy tale. Having worked as the chief of orthopedics at the Bronx VA for seven years, and now serving as a consulting surgeon at the same facility, I have seen many vets who have been limited physically by their injuries. I hope such programs supported by the Wounded Warrior Project continue and expand, as this is good for veterans, which is good for our country.