One of the nation's best known sports surgeons says don't pretend your kid is the next LeBron James or Tom Brady -- have him or her play multiple sports growing up. Dr. James Andrews says not specializing in one sport and not training year 'round can help prevent injuries.
Houston's Dr. Rehal Bhojani agrees with Dr. Andrews.
"Dr. Andrews’ recommendation is to play two or three different sports, as you're growing up, just to allow you to develop from a physical and a mental standpoint in different aspects that you may not get just from that one sport."
Dr. Bhojani, chief medical officer for the Houston Dynamo and Dash and a team doctor for the Rockets, says swimming, for example, exercises and strengthens muscle groups other sports don't.
"The ability to use the core in the back and to understand how to use those parts of your body will help with the kinetic chain theory that you would use in tennis and it's actually been shown to help reduce loads and wear and tear in your tennis game."
Dr. Bhojani says it usually turns out the best athletes in any sport played more than just that sport as kids.