Optimal muscle and bone health call for proactive and reactive medical care. At Urgently Ortho, serving Phoenix and surrounding areas in Arizona, orthopaedic surgeons and wellness specialists offer medical support, care, and assistance for a range of orthopaedic injuries and complications. Overuse injuries are common and involve excessive repetitive force, movement, or overuse of your joint, muscles, or ligaments. The clinic works with you to prevent injuries and lower your risks. Put your health first and call or click to visit the compassionate Urgently Ortho team.
An overuse injury is a term for an injury that’s subtle and occurs from repetitive demand over a period of time rather than an injury that happens instantaneously and with a one-time activity. There are different types of injuries. Overuse injuries are more common in sports.
Overuse injuries are typically the result of micro-trauma to the bones, tendons, and joints. These injuries can involve the muscle-tendon unit, bursa, bone, neurovascular structures, and the growth plate in pediatric athletes.
Some of the most common types of overuse injury include:
Your body has an astounding capability to adapt to physical stress. Exercise is especially beneficial for your health and promotes the breakdown and buildup of tissue. Overuse and too much exercise and specific stress can be problematic and lead to tissue breakdown occurring more rapidly than tissue buildup.
There’s a fine balance between use and overuse and if you’re attempting to do too much and don’t allow your body sufficient time to recover, injury can occur.
Overuse injuries can be caused by a number of factors. Training errors and a rapid increase in the duration, frequency, and intensity of physical activity are often to blame. Overuse injuries also tend to happen when you return to a sport or activity after a long time with little or limited physical activity.
Some people are more likely to experience an overuse injury due to factors such as body alignment, health conditions, strength and endurance, athletic prowess, and previous injuries. Other factors that play a role in the development of an overuse injury include equipment, such as the type of running shoe or protective gear.
Overuse injuries can be challenging to diagnose and treat. The sports medicine specialists at Urgently Ortho are highly adept at treating and preventing overuse injuries. Your doctor can typically reach a diagnosis following a thorough history and physical examination.
The diagnosis is best made by a sports medicine specialist with specific interest, knowledge, and experience in overuse injuries. X-rays might be necessary and, in some cases, additional tests like a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or bone scan.
How your overuse injury is treated depends on the type, severity, and extent of your injury. Many treatment approaches are available that don’t involve weeks of rest. The goal of treatment is to reduce inflammation and pain and boost healing and recovery.
The Urgently Ortho team evaluates your training methods, surfaces, equipment, rest, and self-care as important factors that should be discussed when treating overuse injuries. The clinic assists you in finding the safest way to return to your sports and activity.
To treat your overuse injury, your doctor might recommend various methods, such as:
It's important you don’t engage in too much physical activity too quickly and pay attention to how your body feels.
If you have an overuse injury, visit Urgently Ortho for quality specialized care.
