Specialized Care of Sports Injuries and Overuse Conditions
In today’s active society, sports seasons overlap one another with little break for young athletes to recover. Weekend warriors make up for lost time – challenging themselves with less than optimal training. And the varied extracurricular activities busy families pursue require Herculean strength to balance.
So, sports injuries and overuse conditions are bound to occur.
Recognizing when pain is more than muscle fatigue but rather the result of an injury or condition that should be seen before more serious damage occurs is key.
Some of the common sports injuries and overuse conditions we see include:
Cartilage and ligament tears
- Articular Cartilage Damage (knee)
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears (knee)
- Acromioclavicular Joint (AC Joint) Separation (shoulder)
- Collateral Ligament Injuries (knee)
Bursitis
Tendon Damage
Rotator Cuff Tears
Labral Tears (shoulder)
Shoulder Dislocations
Fractures
Overuse Injuries and Conditions
Overuse injuries and conditions are associated with repetitive stress placed on a certain part of the body. When an athletic activity is repeated, without adequate rest and recovery, it can lead to injury. This is more common in children, than adults, as the bones of a child are still in the process of growing. If not properly addressed, some injuries can cause lifelong health problems, and impair growth.
Overuse injuries generally cause constant pain that increases over time. There may also be inflammation and swelling in the affected area. Periods of rest from athletic activity irritating the affected limb is recommended. If pain continues, you should seek medical attention. Rehabilitation therapy may also be necessary for recovery and in some cases can serve as nonsurgical treatment of an overuse injury.