Tennis elbow, Little League shoulder, jumper's knee and golfer's elbow are typical overuse injuries, which occur when you practice a movement repeatedly. Tendons, ligaments, muscles and even bones are susceptible to such injury. In football, traumatic or acute injuries caused by hard hits draw the most attention, but overuse injuries constitute a growing epidemic in youth sports injuries in particular, notes "Stop Sports Injuries," a consortium of sports medical associations and health-care organizations.
Significance
Overuse injuries are caused by repetitive trauma rather than a single event, notes MayoClinic.com. They can stem from a training error, such as when you jump into football season and practice for too long, or a technique error, such as throwing the football incorrectly. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons defines an overuse injury as one caused by repetitive stress that surpasses the tissue's natural repair processes.
Types
Quarterbacks can suffer from shoulder injuries caused by throwing the football and from foot problems related to the plant foot. A survey of NFL injury reports published in "The American Journal of Sports Medicine" in 2004 found that overuse injuries were responsible for 14 percent of quarterback injuries, the most prevalent being rotator cuff tendonitis and biceps tendonitis. Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, for example, required surgery for a stress fracture of his right foot, which he uses to plant when throwing. Football players also suffer low-back pain and patellar tendonitis or knee pain, which can be treated by strengthening the quadriceps, notes "Stop Sports Injuries."
Treatment
Rest, ice and anti-inflammatories form the basis of treatment for overuse injuries. As overuse injuries can stem from dysfunction elsewhere in the body, coaching to improve technique needs to be part of treatment. Prevention involves proper warm-ups and cool-downs, cross-training in other sports during the summer, and stretching and strength training.
Expert Insight
Pace yourself if you are starting or returning to football, MayoClinic.com advises. College and pro players begin training two months before the season starts and essentially try to work out year-round to avoid the need to frantically ramp up conditioning and skills work just before the opening game. You can also cross-train to give your muscles and bones a break from football and a chance to allow your muscle groups to work differently.
References
- Stop Sports Injuries: STOP Sports Injuries Campaign
- MayoClinic.com; Overuse Injury: How to Prevent Training Injuries; March 2010
- The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Overuse Injury
- "The American Journal of Sports Medicine"; Shoulder Injuries to Quarterbacks in the National Football League; Bryan T. Kelly, et al., March 2004
- NFL.com; Patriots QB Brady Has Surgery on Stress Fracture in Right Foot; Albert Breer; January 2011
- Stop Sports Injuries; Preventing Football Injuries; William N. Levine, et al.
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