Overuse Injuries in Fall Sports

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As the days become shorter and the nights colder, high school sports are on the minds of many students and parents throughout Central Oregon. Whether it is football or soccer, volleyball or cross-country, Bend is home to many outstanding young athletes. With the start of fall sports we often see an increasing number of these athletes being referred to physical therapy with a variety of overuse injuries. Young athletes are more prone to develop overuse injuries than their adult counterparts because their developing musculoskeletal systems are oftentimes not prepared to handle the stresses being placed on them. Additionally, off-season conditioning among young athletes is often-times insufficient or nonexistent.

Cross-country likely generates the highest frequency of overuse injuries among Bend’s young athletes. Competitive distance running without proper dynamic warm-up and progressive off-season conditioning can result in significant stress being placed on a young athlete’s musculoskeletal system. One injury we see commonly in Central Oregon’s cross-country athletes is shin splints.

Shin splints, also known as tibial stress syndrome, is thought to be caused by inflammation of the outer layer of the tibia and adjacent musculature. This condition can be very painful and limits an athlete’s ability to run. I personally experienced shin splints throughout my high school track career and know first hand how debilitating it can be. I had a high school track coach who recommended that we lather our legs with icy-hot and wrap them with saran wrap to combat shin splints. While I can’t recommend this as the most effective treatment strategy, there are many things a runner can do to accelerate the time table to recovery.

The shin splints condition is often attributable to a biomechanical imbalance in a runner’s lower legs. In young athletes with shin splints, we often see a combination of tight hamstring and calf muscles and relatively weak anterior tibial muscles. This results in excessive forces being placed on the anterior aspect of a runner’s lower legs, which can cause inflammation of the tissues in this region. Figures 1-4 detail simple exercises that can help to combat such lower extremity muscle imbalances and thereby prevent the likelihood of developing shin splints. However, in the acute phase of this condition, the best treatment for shin splints is icing and activity modification. This may include running in water, cycling, or swimming to maintain an athlete’s cardiovascular endurance while allowing the affected tissues to heal. Additionally, compression stocking may provide some relief of symptoms if an athlete chooses to continue to run.

If the above steps have been taken and you are still experiencing pain when running, contact us at (541) 382-7890 to speak to one of our physical therapists.

Matt Kirchoff, DPT – Staff Physical Therapist – TAI Athletic Club of Bend