Overuse injuries can happen with repetitive motions and are often seen in athletes. The following are some common overuse injuries our team sees.
Overuse injuries can happen with repetitive motions and are often seen in athletes. The following are some common overuse injuries our team sees.
Jumper's knee is an overuse injury that can be painful during activity.
The main symptom of jumper's knee is pain, although there may also be swelling. And if the condition is chronic, the tendon may tear or rupture. Your child will usually complain of pain below the kneecap, usually with running, jumping, climbing or squatting. Bending the knee and extending it against resistance may also be painful. In mild cases, pain occurs after strenuous activity. In more severe cases, pain continues even after the activity is complete.
Most cases of jumper’s knee require:
In severe cases, athletes may need to stop their sport entirely until the pain is gone. A physical therapy program can then be used to gradually increase activity.
Osgood-Schlatter Disease (OSD) is an overuse condition that causes swelling just below the knee on the upper part of the shin bone. It’s caused by repetitive, rigorous motion during sports that overworks the growth plate of the knee. Symptoms include pain, inflammation and a bump or knot at the top of the shin bone.
Risk factors for developing Osgood-Schlatter Disease
When kids' bones grow in length, they tend to lose some flexibility as the muscles and tendons get stretched. A tight muscle-tendon unit, when contracting, will cause more stress at the anchor point compared to a flexible muscle-tendon unit.
It is not uncommon for youth sports seasons to overlap, resulting in the athlete playing two sports at the same time. This increases the overuse stress on the growth plate, increasing the risk of injury.
The sudden increase in workouts that typically comes with a new season can put too much stress on growth plates. It’s better to ease into activity.
Many sports are played year-round, not allowing time for young athletes’ bodies to rest, or "catch up" from the stress of a long season.
Often summer sports camps have kids play the same sport several hours a day for an entire week. This sudden increase in stress can lead to OSD.
Symptoms include pain, inflammation and a bump or knot at the top of the shin bone. Boys ages 12 through 18 and girls ages 10 through 16 who are active in sports have the highest risk for this injury. This condition can occur with chronic repetitive tugging on the growth plate, or with one specific event such as fall or a sudden jump.
X-rays may be needed to rule out other conditions and may show an irregularity and fragmentation at the tibial tubercle.
Return to play
If there is no limping or swelling and your young athlete has normal strength, they can continue to play. If the pain worsens or they start to limp or favor the injured leg, they should stop playing immediately.
Continuing to play despite worsening pain may increase the risk of a complete avulsion, or separation of the tendon from the growth plate. If this happens, your child may require surgical reattachment. If there is no improvement after three days of rest and ice, your child should see a doctor.
Since OSD is an overuse injury, there are ways to prevent it, including:
A bursa is a sac that acts as a cushion between the bones, tendons and skin. If the bursa becomes inflamed it produces fluid and swells. Prepatellar bursitis is very common in wrestlers and can result from a direct hit to the front of the knee or from chronic friction caused by frequent kneeling.
Symptoms of prepatellar bursitis are painful swelling over the front of the knee. The swelling is not inside the knee, but rather between the kneecap and the skin. There may be pain and stiffness when bending the knee.
This condition is treated with:
Sometimes the fluid inside the bursa becomes infected. In these cases, the knee becomes even more painful and is red and hot to the touch. With infected bursitis, the fluid must be drained and antibiotics are used to treat the infection.
Prepatellar bursitis can be prevented by avoiding direct pressure or blows to the kneecap. Wearing proper knee pads can help.
Runner’s knee, or Patellofemoral Stress Syndrome (PFSS), is common in runners and kids who play sports like soccer, lacrosse and volleyball. This is an overuse injury that develops because of repetitive pressure between the kneecap (patella) and the thigh bone (femur). There are many contributing factors, including flat or pronated feet, knees that turn in while running, muscle imbalance, insufficient training and wearing shoes without enough support. Proper stretching and strengthening the muscles around the knee can reduce the risk for injury.
Symptoms of runner’s knee include:
There usually is no swelling associated with runner’s knee. However, athletes with runner’s knee could end up with a dislocation injury, which can cause swelling.
An x-ray may be needed to confirm the diagnosis or rule out other causes of knee pain.
Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Disease (SLJ) is an injury that occurs near the bottom of the kneecap. And it’s a common injury in young athletes between the ages of seven and 13 who participate in sports requiring repetitive running and jumping.
SLJ involves the patellar tendon, which connects your kneecap (patella) to your shin bone (tibia). Repetitive stress can cause the growth plate at the bottom of the kneecap to become irritated and inflamed.
Symptoms
Risk factors for developing SLJ
When kid's bones grow in length, they tend to lose some flexibility as the muscles and tendons get stretched. A tight muscle-tendon unit, when contracting, will cause more stress at the anchor point compared to a flexible muscle-tendon unit.
It is not uncommon for youth sports seasons to overlap, resulting in the athlete playing two sports at the same time. This increases the overuse stress on the growth plate, increasing the risk of injury.
The sudden increase in workouts that typically comes with a new season can put too much stress on growth plates. It’s better to ease into activity.
Many sports are played year-round, not allowing time for young athletes’ bodies to rest, or "catch up" from the stress of a long season.
Often summer sports camps have kids play the same sport several hours a day for an entire week. This sudden increase in stress can lead to SLJ.
Return to play
If there is no limping or swelling, and your child has normal strength, they can continue to play. If the pain worsens or they start to limp or favor the injured leg, they should stop playing immediately.
Continuing to play despite worsening pain may increase the risk of a complete avulsion, or separation of the tendon from the growth plate, possibly requiring surgical reattachment. If there is no improvement after three days of rest and ice, the athlete should see a doctor.
Since SLJ is an overuse injury, there are ways to prevent it, including:
Tell someone, such as a parent or coach, if something hurts to prevent more severe injury.