Am I Suffering From Overuse Injury?

Am I Suffering From Overuse Injury?

 

 

 

Overuse injuries, a.k.a. repetitive use injuries are "cumulative trauma disorders."  This means that as you perform the same activity over and over again (most likely with one or both of the contributing factors discussed below), you will be imposing micro-trauma on a specific region of your body.  The cumulative affect of this micro-trauma is pain and possibly macro-trauma (macro-trauma may require surgical intervention.)  

 

The following questions are common questions to ask yourself or your client if you suspect an "overuse injury."  

 

Question 1:  What is the main complaint?

Answer 1: Pain is the chief complaint with overuse injuries

 

Question 2: Was the onset of symptoms noticed slowly over time, or did it just happen all of a sudden?

Answer 2:   Overuse injuries have a slow onset

 

Question 3: What makes the symptoms worse? What makes it better?

Answer 3: If you have an overuse injury, it is aggravated by activity and relieved with rest

 

Some common areas subject to overuse are:

1. Shoulder: Rotator cuff

2. Knee: Patella Tendinitis

3. Ankle: Achilles Tendinitis

4. Hip: Bursitis

5. Foot: Plantar Fasciitis

 

Two contributing factors to an overuse injury are:

1. Intrinsic: This includes biomechanical abnormalities, muscle tightness/weakness/imbalance, limited range of motion, etc...

 

2. Extrinsic: This includes training errors dealing with intensity, duration, techniques, footwear, occupation, etc...

 

Initial treatment for overuse injury includes:

1. Manage and reduce inflammation at the injured site

2. Correct biomechanical errors to minimize stress on the affected area

3. Assess and prescribe proper therapeutic activities for muscle imbalances

4. Correct POSTURE!!!