What are overuse injuries in the pediatric population?

Overuse injuries in pediatrics refer to a category of injuries that occur when a child or adolescent repeatedly engages in a specific physical activity or sport, placing excessive stress on a particular part of their body. These injuries are common among young athletes who train intensively or participate in a single sport year-round. Overuse injuries can lead to pain, impaired performance, and potentially long-term musculoskeletal issues. Here are some key points to understand about overuse injuries in pediatrics:

1. Types of Overuse Injuries:Overuse injuries can affect various parts of the body, including:

• Growth Plate Injuries: The growth plates, areas of developing tissue near the ends of bones, are vulnerable to overuse injuries.
• Stress Fractures: These are small cracks or fractures in bones due to repetitive impact.
• Tendonitis: Inflammation of tendons caused by repetitive movements.
• Muscle Strains: Overuse can lead to strains or tears in muscles.
• Apophysitis: Inflammation of the bony attachment points of muscles, commonly seen in areas like the heel (Sever’s disease) or knee (Osgood-Schlatter disease).

2. Risk Factors:Several factors increase the risk of overuse injuries in pediatric athletes, including:

• Specialization: Young athletes who specialize in a single sport and train intensively year-round are more susceptible to overuse injuries.
• Growth and Development: Rapid growth during puberty can change the biomechanics of a child’s body, making them more prone to injury.
• Inadequate Rest: Lack of adequate rest and recovery between activities or seasons can contribute to overuse injuries.

3. Symptoms:The symptoms of overuse injuries may include pain, swelling, tenderness, reduced range of motion, and a decline in athletic performance. Children may also experience pain that worsens with activity and improves with rest.
4. Prevention and Management:Preventing overuse injuries in pediatrics involves a combination of strategies:

• Monitoring Load: Coaches, parents, and athletes should be vigilant about monitoring training loads to ensure they are appropriate for the child’s age and development.
• Periodization: Training should incorporate periods of rest, cross-training, and reduced intensity to allow the body to recover.
• Proper Technique: Teaching young athletes correct techniques and movement patterns can help reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
• Adequate Rest: Children should have scheduled rest days and avoid year-round intensive training in a single sport.
• Early Intervention: If an overuse injury occurs, early intervention, including rest, physical therapy, and sometimes bracing, is essential to prevent long-term consequences.

5. Importance of Multisport Participation:Encouraging children to participate in multiple sports or activities can reduce the risk of overuse injuries by promoting a more balanced use of their bodies and reducing the strain on specific muscle groups and joints.

In conclusion, overuse injuries in pediatrics are a significant concern, especially among young athletes. Preventing these injuries involves a combination of strategies, with a focus on proper training, rest, and early intervention to protect the growing bodies of children and adolescents.

 

Identifying and Treating Neglected Fracture in Kids

 

According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, “Fractures are common injuries in childhood. While most fractures are caused by accidental trauma, inflicted trauma (maltreatment) is a serious and potentially unrecognized cause of fractures, particularly in infants and young children.”

Fractures in children occur when excessive force is applied to the bone. As the bone cannot absorb excessive force, broken bones or fractures occur. Excessive force can cause multiple fractures or specific fractures like wrist fracture, elbow fracture, or femur fracture.

Also, fractures in kids occur due to a variety of reasons – trauma, falls, direct hit, injuries, and lack of calcium. You cannot control or change the causes and number of fractures in your child. But you must treat the neglected factors early and properly to keep your child fit by eliminating the chances of functional disability and permanent deformity.

What Should You Know to Treat a Neglected Fracture in Your Child Successfully?

Symptoms

A neglected fracture might occur in your child due to a variety of reasons. Also, the symptoms of neglected broken bones vary from one child to another. You can identify neglected fractures based on common systems like pain, swelling, bruising, redness, and warmth. Also, the affected area sometimes appears deformed due to the broken bone. It is always important to consult a pediatric orthopedic surgeon once your child finds it difficult to use or move the injured bone normally and naturally.

Diagnosis

Experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeons diagnose neglected fractures in a variety of ways. They always start diagnosing by inspecting the affected area closely and physically. The physical inspection, along with the child’s medical history, helps experienced orthopedic surgeons to identify the condition and causes of the fracture. However, it is also common for orthopedic surgeons to identify the cause of broken bones by recommending X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and similar imaging examinations.

Treatment Options

The orthopedic surgeons diagnose neglected fractures in a variety of ways according to the severity and symptoms of the broken bone. Also, they prepare a personalized treatment plan for the neglected fracture based on your child’s age, medical history, and severity of the fracture. Also, they keep in mind your child’s capacity to tolerate specific medication or treatment options.

Experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeons always start treating neglected fractures through non-surgical procedures like medication, cast/splint, and traction. But they treat neglected fractures surgically when the non-medical procedures do not work. They perform surgeries to reposition the broken bones or implant fixation devices.

Recovery

The non-medical procedures treat neglected fractures gradually over a period of time. Your child will become fit and active after taking medication or wearing the cast/splint regularly for a specific duration. However, you must get the affected area inspected by the orthopedic surgeon regularly according to the treatment plan. On the other hand, your child needs to rest the affected bone completely and follow operation-care recommended by the surgeon when the neglected fracture is treated surgically.

You can easily get a neglected fracture in your child diagnosed accurately and treated effectively by consulting an experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon. The orthopedic surgeons will help you to eliminate the risk of functional disability and permanent deformity by treating neglected fractures accurately and successfully.