Child and Adolescent Injuries
Children are not just small adults when it comes to injuries, even injuries that look similar in cause or presentation should be viewed with consideration to their age and maturation. Skeletal immaturity and rate of growth can influence injury occurrence.
Unfortunately, GP’s are not trained to offer the best advice to children suffering with musculo-skeletal injuries and you will know that where an active child is concerned, rest is not an option!
During a Sports Therapy session I like to discuss the presentation of the pain, ascertain what the child CAN do and work with that as a baseline to keep them as active as possible, whilst we look to off-load or strengthen the affected structure(s).
It is important that children who are athletic and talented at sport, and therefore may be participating in high frequency and intensity training sessions, are supported, along with their parents, to map out what schedule is best for their growing body. There is no one right formula, so I am passionate about providing this support to ensure their long-term participation in the sport they love.
Children may suffer from acute traumatic injuries or overuse chronic injuries. A common overuse condition is apophysitis which is considered unique to the young population, these are injuries that might present in the adult population as tendinopathy, but due to the weaker bone vs tendon the resulting injury is different.
Common apophysitis conditions include:
Osgood Schlatters Disease (knee)
Sever’s Disease (heel)
Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Syndrome (knee)
Other common conditions or injuries in children include
Patella Femoral Pain Syndrome
Fracture
ACL injury
Chrondomalacia patella
Questions or something you would like to discuss? Contact me now for a free phone consultation