Sport overuse injuries (unlike acute injuries) occur over a longer period of time due to a repetitive motion. This type of injury subtly develops and is not as easily diagnosed such as a scratch or a bruise may be. The repetitive trauma affecting the tendons, bones, and joints, causes an overuse injury to occur. Noticing the signs of the overuse injuries is the first step to recovery. This list by the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine tells us which signs of injury may be present in children with an overuse injury.
- Avoiding putting weight on a certain body part (e.g., ankle or wrist) or favoring one side of the body over the other (i.e., limping)
- Appearing to be in pain when using a particular body part
- Inability to sleep
- Shortness of breath/trouble breathing during activity
- Headaches during or after activity
- Appearing to experience stiffness in the joints or muscles
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Difficulty sitting and/or climbing stairs
- Inability to feel the fingers or toes
- Experiencing unusual weakness
- Irritated skin and/or blisters