Sports-related microtraumas. i.e., overuse injuries commonly occur in athletes from repetitively using the same muscles, tendons, or bones or performing repetitive activities over a certain period. Often, athletes fail to recognise these sports injuries as there is little to no pain during the injury’s initial stage. As a result, players may unknowingly continue to put pressure on the injured areas, not giving them enough time to heal.

Therefore, having a basic understanding of overuse injuries in sports is all an athlete needs to avoid or manage these sports injuries. Going through this article, you can learn about common overuse injuries, their symptoms, prevention tips, and relevant treatment.

What are the Common Overuse Injuries?

Overzealous athletes who do not give adequate time for adaptation before any training or workout session tend to experience overuse injuries commonly. They usually suffer the following listed common sports injuries when the adaptive capability of specific tissue exceeds:

• Avulsion fractures

• Little league elbow

• Little league shoulder

• Jumper’s knee

• Sever’s disease

• Osgood-Schlatter disease

• Osteochondritis dissecans

• Tennis elbow

• Swimmer’s shoulder

• Spondylolysis

• Shin splints

Symptoms of Overused Sports Injuries 

Overuse injuries occur gradually with time and can often be overlooked. As an athlete, you should pay attention to the signs and symptoms of overuse injuries or strain to keep your body functioning and play your sport properly. Here are the common symptoms of these sports injuries: 

• Persistent pain during or after activities

• Swelling and inflammation

• Localised tenderness

• Limited range of motion due to strained muscles, joints, and tendons

• Stiffness or tightness

• Fatigue and weakness
  

  

How Can You Prevent Overuse Injuries?

Now that you are aware of the common overuse injuries and their symptoms let’s learn how to avoid injuries in sports so that you can play efficiently. Below given are some tips following which you can prevent overuse injuries:

• Prepare Properly

Whenever working out or playing a sport, what you need to do before is get prepared adequately. You should: 

• Do warm-up exercises

• Gradually increase the activity’s intensity

• Maintain proper form

• Use appropriate gear

• Listen to your body

In addition, balance the activity with adequate rest and recovery for optimal wellness. 

• Sports Conditioning

The most important tip to prevent overuse sports injuries is to undergo sports-specific conditioning. Sports conditioning involves training your body to get ready for the upcoming training season for athletes. Joining a sports conditioning program can help you outperform players with a similar skill level without injury. 

• Warm-Up and Cool Down

Before going ahead with your workout or sports session, you should warm up properly to increase blood flow and body flexibility.  Warming up your body will reduce the risk of overuse injury. It’s not enough to do only warm-up. 

Once you are done with your workout or sports session, you should also perform some cool-down exercises. It will help gradually lower your fastened heart rate and prevent muscle tightness or soreness, leading to proper recovery and flexibility. 

• Aim for Gradual Progression

If you are a beginner, try not to master any activity or sports in one go. Instead, aim for gradual progression. Consider progressively increasing the specific activity’s intensity, load, or duration to give your body sufficient time to adapt. It will minimise the risk of repetitive injuries while promoting long-term improvement. 

• Diversify Activities or Exercises

Instead of engaging in a single activity, consider performing varied activities to enable your body to adapt better and prevent overuse injuries. Alternating between different activities or exercises can reduce strain on your muscles, tendons, and joints, minimising imbalances and promoting overall fitness.

• Prioritise Proper Rest and Recovery

Understandably, practising is the most critical element for any athlete to succeed. However, proper rest and recovery are also important. You must give your body enough time to heal, recover, and adapt after a particular activity or sport. 

A balanced approach between practice, rest, and recovery can help avoid overuse injuries, improve performance, and support long-term well-being.

How are Overuse Injuries Treated?

Even after following the above-discussed overuse injury prevention tips, you might suffer an injury. In such a case, you can consider these sports injury treatment options for proper healing and recovery:

• R.I.C.E: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation is the widely used first-aid approach to treat and recover from overuse sports injuries. This treatment option can allow your damaged tissues or muscles to heal, reduce inflammation, numb pain, and prevent further strain, aiding in proper rehabilitation and healing.

• Activity restrictions: Another vital approach to overuse injury management is activity restrictions. Limiting or modifying the activities that exacerbate certain conditions can allow your injured tissues to heal quickly, prevent the symptoms from worsening, and promote recovery.

• Physical therapy: Physical therapy involves doing stretches, exercises, and other techniques to restore your body’s strength,function, and flexibility after overuse injuries. 

• Bracing or splinting: This treatment option can support and stabilise your injured area by reducing strain on affected tissues. They will limit the movement and promote proper healing alignment for quick recovery.

• Occupational therapy: This therapy can help address overuse injuries by improving regular activities and ergonomics.

• Ultrasound and laser therapy: Ultrasound therapy promotes tissue healing by generating deep heat, and laser therapy can stimulate cellular repair.

• Soft tissue technique: This involves massage and myofascial that release target muscles and connective tissues to relieve tension and enhance blood flow and flexibility.

• Surgery: In case of severe overuse injury, you might need to undergo surgery to address extensive tissue damage, stabilise structures, facilitate healing, and restore function.

Wrapping Up

Sustaining overuse injuries is quite normal for athletes who fail to follow the prevention tips discussed. However, don’t let your injury limit your potential. Consult an orthopaedic specialist who understands the pain caused by overuse injuries and offers comprehensive solutions to treat and heal your sports injury. So, don’t wait! Schedule an appointment at your nearest super-specialty hospital as soon as possible for appropriate sports injury diagnosis and treatment.

FAQs

1. Can children and teenagers get overuse injuries?

Yes, young athletes are particularly prone to overuse injuries due to growing bones and often participating in repetitive sports activities without enough rest.

2. How long does it take to recover from an overuse injury?

Recovery time depends on the severity of the injury. Mild cases may heal in a few weeks, while more severe injuries can take months and may require physical therapy.

3. Should I see a doctor for an overuse injury, or can I treat it at home?

Mild injuries may respond to rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). However, persistent pain or swelling should be evaluated by a doctor to prevent long-term damage.

4. Can proper footwear help in preventing overuse injuries?

Absolutely! Wearing the right footwear for your sport, with proper cushioning and support, can significantly reduce the risk of overuse injuries by minimizing impact and improving technique.

5. How can I differentiate between muscle soreness and an overuse injury?

Muscle soreness usually improves within a few days and is felt throughout the muscle. Overuse injuries involve localized pain, often worsening with continued activity and persisting beyond a few days.

Citations

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Page, P. (2012, February 1). CURRENT CONCEPTS IN MUSCLE STRETCHING FOR EXERCISE AND REHABILITATION. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3273886/

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