Overuse Injuries, Including Sprains and Strains

What are overuse injuries?

An overuse injury is any type of muscle or joint injury that is caused by repetitive trauma. These types of injuries are often seen in overhead sports such as tennis, volleyball, and baseball. They are also seen in the legs and feet in sports such as running. Overuse injuries frequently need more than rest to heal correctly.

What causes overuse injuries?

If your child has an overuse injury, it may have been caused by:

• Repetition—performing the same movement over and over again
• Training errors—trying to increase things like speed, weight, or duration too much too fast
• Technique errors—poor form

What are some symptoms of overuse injuries?

If your child has an overuse injury, he or she may experience:

• Muscle aches and soreness
• Swelling
• Decreased strength or speed
• Pain with exercise or activity

Why choose Stanford Children’s Health to treat your child’s overuse injury?

Our pediatric sports medicine experts will work with your child and your family to develop the best treatment plan for your child’s needs. And beyond treating your child’s injury, we will work with your child to develop a plan to boost your child’s strength and conditioning skills, fix form issues, or other tactics that will help avoid future injuries and help your child reach his or her athletic potential.