Overuse Injuries of the Knee and the Shoulder

If you’re suffering from knee pain, you are not alone. Many people experience knee pain at some time or another, especially athletes and active individuals.

Apart from common knee injuries and arthritis, overuse injuries are a common cause of knee pain. Overuse is caused due to repetitive mild stress, to the knee and surrounding structures, over time can cause knee pain.

Common overuse injuries of the knee that affect athletes and active individuals are IT band syndrome, jumper’s knee and patellar tendinitis.

IT band syndrome

The IT or Ilio-Tibial band is a band of tissue along the side of the knee. This tissue can become tight or inflamed due to rubbing against a bony prominence on the outside of the knee. This condition can cause pain if the knee is bent at an angle, especially among some women whose hips tilt in a way that can cause their knees to turn in.

Common causes include wearing poorly designed, worn-out shoes and running downhill.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome

A large percentage of all patients complain about this type of knee pain, especially athletes who experience pain in front of the knee, around and under the knee cap. Swelling and pain may worsen after prolonged sitting, causing the knee to hurt or swell.

Common causes include sudden increase in training, high intensity jumping and knee bending.

Patellar tendinitis

The patellar tendon allows you to extend your knees and connects your kneecap to your shinbone. Patellar tendinitis, or jumper’s knee, refers to an inflammation of the patellar tendon. This injury is commonly seen among basketball and volleyball players.

Common causes include repeated stress on the patellar tendon.

Overuse Injuries of the Shoulder

The shoulder is the most mobile bone joints. Unfortunately, this also makes it most vulnerable to injuries. Swimmers and baseball players are more susceptible to overuse shoulder injuries, compared to other sports, since these athletes constantly use the arm in an overhead motion.

Common overuse injuries of the shoulder that affect athletes and active individuals are shoulder bursitis and tendinitis.

Bursitis

Bursae are fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones in the shoulder joint from rubbing against each other. In bursitis, the surrounding muscles move over the bursae, causing the shoulder to become inflamed and painful.

Tendinitis

Shoulder tendinitis involves inflammation and swelling of the tendons. Whenever the arm is raised, the tendons get pinched as the archway becomes smaller. This causes an inflammation of the tendons.

Overuse shoulder injuries can be the result of improper swimming or throwing techniques, repetitive overhead motions and strenuous training.

Overuse injuries can be treated with conservative treatments, such as rest, activity modification, non-inflammatory medication and physical therapy. If the pain has become severe, interventional pain management options, such as steroid injections can be utilized.

It is advisable to slowly return to your sport and warm up appropriately. If you swim, avoid back strokes and butterfly strokes initially, since the action involved exerts more strain on your shoulder.

To learn more about knee and shoulder arthritis treatments, call one of the top orthopedic surgeons in Phoenix AZ at Phoenix Shoulder and Knee at 480-219-3342.

Phoenix Shoulder & Knee
1215 W Rio Salado Parkway
Suite 105
Tempe, AZ 85281

This release was published on openPR.