Repetitive Stress Injuries in Young Athletes

By: Dr. Mark Walter

www.vsas.com

There has been a definite increase in overuse injuries in children. Repetitive-stress injuries (RSI) used to be a relatively rare problem for the young, or so it seemed. This has all changed.

Of course, you would see an occasional Osgood-Schlatter’s or epicondylitis, but with the emergence of organized sports and their emphasis on repetitive drills, as well as the more recent trend toward sports specialization in young athletes, RSI is now a relatively common problem. Chiropractors are experts at treating these types of injuries. If managed carefully, most adolescent athletes can recover completely from these injuries.

Let’s take a specific example of a RSI: spondylolysis (stress fracture of the vertebrae). It is estimated that 15 percent to 20 percent of gymnasts develop this type of stress fracture. However, it affects many young athletes who perform any activity that requires repetitive hyperextension of the lower back. Dancers, divers, gymnasts, high jumpers, offensive linemen, pole vaulters, weight lifters and wrestlers all demonstrate an increased incidence of spondylolysis. Read more