Overuse Injuries

Joe Fleming identifies the common injuries in the lower extremities that are overused and how to help prevent them from occurring.

The lower extremities comprise the knee, ankle joints, hip, and bones of the feet, legs, and thighs. In effect, the lower limb of the body is the lower extremity. The lower extremity comprises several parts which play significant roles in lower extremity injuries. These include blood vessels, nerves, bones, joints, and muscles.

Physically active individuals, especially athletes and sports enthusiasts, wear protective gear for their lower extremities that provides support without affecting mobility. This gear can include a knee brace, orthotic insoles, and a well-fitting pair of shoes.

Sometimes, however, your body can suffer from minor injuries that accumulate over time due to an active lifestyle. When the rate of injuries overpowers the rate at which your body heals, you may develop an overuse injury.

Understanding Overuse Injuries

Overuse injuries are caused by repetitive action and microtrauma to the body's tissues. It means that the factors leading to a particular overuse injury occur over a certain period and not instantaneously.

A sprained ankle, for instance, is not an overuse injury but an acute injury since it happens instantly. Overuse injuries often affect the tendons, cartilage, muscles, soft tissue compartments, bursa, nerve tissues, and bones.

The most common overuse injuries are those sustained during exercise. Each time you work your body while exercising, it adjusts itself by strengthening the tissues involved in the activity, which thicken and gain mass at the same time. That is why you bulk up your muscles and strengthen them each time you exercise.

Nevertheless, if the body is not given time to adapt to the changes, the tissues may feel overloaded, leading to microscopic injuries. Consequently, the body responds to the injuries with inflammation of the affected tissues. When this becomes repetitive, the body cannot heal fast enough before it sustains another injury, gradually worsening trauma to the tissues.

The change from bad to worse happens over a certain period. Some examples of overuse injuries to the lower extremities sustained during exercise include:

A pulled muscle or muscle strain. You sustain this by over-stretching your muscles, which results in a small tear. You can manage this condition by resting, icing, elevating the affected area, and wearing a compression bandage or a knee brace.
Achilles tendinitis. This develops through repetitive strain on the Achilles tendon or the large tendon that connects your calf muscles to the back of your heel. Calf stretches can help relieve pain. Resting and applying a cold pack to the affected area can also ease the swelling.
Plantar fasciitis occurs when the thick band of tissue at the bottom of your foot, between your heel and toes, becomes inflamed. Stretching, using orthotic insoles and cushioned shoes, and resting your feet relieve painful symptoms.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as runner's knee or jumper's knee, occurs due to repeated stress on the knee during long and intense physical activities such as climbing, running, and jumping.
Stress fractures. Bones undergo remodelling each time microtrauma occurs. It helps your bones become stronger the more you are physically active. If your bone can no longer catch up with the rate and frequency of injuries, you can develop stress fractures.

Even the sturdiest machine gives out when overused. Hence, it is only fitting to surmise that the body, when pushed to its limits, can "protest", too. The body's protest comes in the form of injuries. According to a study by Little et al. (2013)^[1], 41% of injuries sustained during exercise specifically affect the lower extremities, and 32% due to overuse of muscle strains.

A study by Paterno et al. (2013)^[2] found that the prevalence of exercise-related overuse injuries that affect the lower extremities increases, especially in the young and athletic population. To determine the possibility of whether you have developed an overuse injury, you will need to watch out for swelling, redness, and warmth in the area in question. Another sign is when the injured body part exhibits poor performance and impaired functionality.

It might do you well to take note of the following in case there is a nagging doubt in your mind that you may be suffering from an overuse injury:

Does the discomfort go away during warm-up but come back after you exercise?
Does the discomfort get worse while you are exercising?
Do you feel discomfort or pain even when you are not exercising?

If your answer to any of these questions is yes, consult your doctor about the condition and see if continuing your physical activities or training is still advisable, especially if you are an athlete. You should never ignore the earliest signs of overuse injuries, as you might risk aggravating your condition.

Ways to Prevent Overuse Injuries

Overuse injuries can be prevented, and their effects mitigated through the following tips:

Warm-up exercises. Dynamic warm-ups prepare your body for intense physical activity by boosting your heart rate and conditioning your bones, muscles, and other connective tissues.
Strength exercises. A stronger body is less prone to injuries. However, to achieve this, you must subject your body to strength exercises that gradually increase in intensity as you go along.
Water and electrolytes. Your muscles are mainly composed of water. When you do intense physical training outdoors, you lose water through sweating and breathing. Dehydration can make your muscles prone to tears and injuries.
Protein-rich foods. Protein is a key ingredient in tissue repair. Refuelling with protein after a workout or game is a must.

Conclusion

The basic concept for preventing overuse injuries is listening to your body. Your body is excellent about giving you cues when you need to take a break from your workout or physical activity.

References

LITTLE, R. et al. (2013) A 12-month incidence of exercise-related injuries in previously sedentary community-dwelling older adults following an exercise intervention, BMJ Open, 3(6)
PATERNO, M. et al. (2013) Prevention of Overuse Sports Injuries in the Young Athlete, Orthop Clin North Am., 44(4), p. 553-564

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

FLEMING, J. (2017) Overuse Injuries [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article280.htm [Accessed

About the Author

Joe Fleming is the President at ViveHealth.com. He is interested in all things related to living a healthy lifestyle and enjoys sharing and expressing his passion through writing. Working to motivate others and defeat ageing stereotypes, Joe uses his writing to help all people overcome life obstacles. Covering topics that range from physical health, wellness, and ageing to social, news, and inspirational pieces, his goal is to help others "rebel against age."


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The lower extremities comprise the knee, ankle joints, hip, and bones of the feet, legs, and thighs. In effect, the lower limb of the body is the lower extremity. The lower extremity comprises several parts which play significant roles in lower extremity injuries. These include blood vessels, nerves, bones, joints, and muscles. Physically active individuals, especially athletes and sports enthusiasts, wear protective gear for their lower extremities that provides support without affecting mobility. This gear can include a knee brace, orthotic insoles, and a well-fitting pair of shoes. Sometimes, however, your body can suffer from minor injuries that accumulate over time due to an active lifestyle. When the rate of injuries overpowers the rate at which your body heals, you may develop an overuse injury. Understanding Overuse Injuries Overuse injuries are caused by repetitive action and microtrauma to the body's tissues. It means that the factors leading to a particular overuse injury occur over a certain period and not instantaneously. A sprained ankle, for instance, is not an overuse injury but an acute injury since it happens instantly. Overuse injuries often affect the tendons, cartilage, muscles, soft tissue compartments, bursa, nerve tissues, and bones. The most common overuse injuries are those sustained during exercise. Each time you work your body while exercising, it adjusts itself by strengthening the tissues involved in the activity, which thicken and gain mass at the same time. That is why you bulk up your muscles and strengthen them each time you exercise. Nevertheless, if the body is not given time to adapt to the changes, the tissues may feel overloaded, leading to microscopic injuries. Consequently, the body responds to the injuries with inflammation of the affected tissues. When this becomes repetitive, the body cannot heal fast enough before it sustains another injury, gradually worsening trauma to the tissues. The change from bad to worse happens over a certain period. Some examples of overuse injuries to the lower extremities sustained during exercise include: A pulled muscle or muscle strain. You sustain this by over-stretching your muscles, which results in a small tear. You can manage this condition by resting, icing, elevating the affected area, and wearing a compression bandage or a knee brace. Achilles tendinitis. This develops through repetitive strain on the Achilles tendon or the large tendon that connects your calf muscles to the back of your heel. Calf stretches can help relieve pain. Resting and applying a cold pack to the affected area can also ease the swelling. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the thick band of tissue at the bottom of your foot, between your heel and toes, becomes inflamed. Stretching, using orthotic insoles and cushioned shoes, and resting your feet relieve painful symptoms. Patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as runner's knee or jumper's knee, occurs due to repeated stress on the knee during long and intense physical activities such as climbing, running, and jumping. Stress fractures. Bones undergo remodelling each time microtrauma occurs. It helps your bones become stronger the more you are physically active. If your bone can no longer catch up with the rate and frequency of injuries, you can develop stress fractures. Even the sturdiest machine gives out when overused. Hence, it is only fitting to surmise that the body, when pushed to its limits, can "protest", too. The body's protest comes in the form of injuries. According to a study by Little et al. (2013)^[1], 41% of injuries sustained during exercise specifically affect the lower extremities, and 32% due to overuse of muscle strains. A study by Paterno et al. (2013)^[2] found that the prevalence of exercise-related overuse injuries that affect the lower extremities increases, especially in the young and athletic population. To determine the possibility of whether you have developed an overuse injury, you will need to watch out for swelling, redness, and warmth in the area in question. Another sign is when the injured body part exhibits poor performance and impaired functionality. It might do you well to take note of the following in case there is a nagging doubt in your mind that you may be suffering from an overuse injury: Does the discomfort go away during warm-up but come back after you exercise? Does the discomfort get worse while you are exercising? Do you feel discomfort or pain even when you are not exercising? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, consult your doctor about the condition and see if continuing your physical activities or training is still advisable, especially if you are an athlete. You should never ignore the earliest signs of overuse injuries, as you might risk aggravating your condition. Ways to Prevent Overuse Injuries Overuse injuries can be prevented, and their effects mitigated through the following tips: Warm-up exercises. Dynamic warm-ups prepare your body for intense physical activity by boosting your heart rate and conditioning your bones, muscles, and other connective tissues. Strength exercises. A stronger body is less prone to injuries. However, to achieve this, you must subject your body to strength exercises that gradually increase in intensity as you go along. Water and electrolytes. Your muscles are mainly composed of water. When you do intense physical training outdoors, you lose water through sweating and breathing. Dehydration can make your muscles prone to tears and injuries. Protein-rich foods. Protein is a key ingredient in tissue repair. Refuelling with protein after a workout or game is a must. Conclusion The basic concept for preventing overuse injuries is listening to your body. Your body is excellent about giving you cues when you need to take a break from your workout or physical activity. References LITTLE, R. et al. (2013) A 12-month incidence of exercise-related injuries in previously sedentary community-dwelling older adults following an exercise intervention, BMJ Open, 3(6) PATERNO, M. et al. (2013) Prevention of Overuse Sports Injuries in the Young Athlete, Orthop Clin North Am., 44(4), p. 553-564 Page Reference If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is: FLEMING, J. (2017) Overuse Injuries [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article280.htm [Accessed About the Author Joe Fleming is the President at ViveHealth.com. He is interested in all things related to living a healthy lifestyle and enjoys sharing and expressing his passion through writing. Working to motivate others and defeat ageing stereotypes, Joe uses his writing to help all people overcome life obstacles. Covering topics that range from physical health, wellness, and ageing to social, news, and inspirational pieces, his goal is to help others "rebel against age."