Institute for Sports Medicine

Sports injuries and medical conditions

Sports-related injuries in young athletes are often caused by overuse. Watch video »

The Institute for Sports Medicine treats a variety of sports-related injuries and medical conditions. For more information on a specific injury or condition, see the list below or the menu to the left.

General concerns & injuries

• "Burnout" of the young athlete (overtraining syndrome)
• Developmental coordination disorder
• When can I start pointe work? (from the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science)
• Muscle contusion (bruise)
• Side stitch (abdominal muscle cramps)

Head & spine

• Concussion (sports-related head injury)
• "Heading" the soccer ball
• Scoliosis
• Spinal disc herniation
• Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis

Shoulder

• Clavicle fracture (broken collar bone)
• "Little League shoulder" (proximal humerus epiphysitis)
• Multidirectional instability of the shoulder
• Rotator cuff tendonitis
• "Stinger" or "burner" (brachial plexus injury from sports)

Elbow

• Juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (JOCD)
• "Little League elbow" (medial epicondylar apophyitis)
• Medial epicondyle avulsion fracture
• Panner disease (osteochondritis of the capitellum)
• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

Wrist & hand

• Boxer fracture (fracture of metacarpal bone)
• "Gymnast wrist" (distal radial epiphysitis)
• Mallet finger (extensor tendon injury of the distal interphalangeal joint)
• Scaphoid fracture
• Skier or gamekeeper thumb (ulnar colleateral ligament injury)

Hip

• Apophysitis of the pelvis/hip

• Internal snapping hip syndrome

Knee & leg

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury
• Iliotibial (IT) band friction syndrome
• Juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (JOCD)
• Medial tibial stress syndrome
• Osgood-Schlatter disease (tibial tubercle apophysis)
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome
• Patella dislocation (kneecap dislocation)
• Patella tendonitis
• Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome (distal patella apophysitis)
• Thigh contusion (bruise)

Ankle & foot

• Achilles tendonitis
• Freiberg infraction (osteonecrosis of the metatarsal head)
• High ankle sprain (syndesmosis sprain)
• Iselin disease ( apophysitis of the 5th metatarsal)
• Juvenile hallux valgus (bunion deformity)
• Juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (JOCD)
• Morton neuroma (intermetatarsal neuropathy/perineural fibroma)
• Metatarsal stress fracture
• Navicular stress fracture
• Os trigonum syndrome
• Planter fasciitis
• Salter-Harris I fracture of the distal fibula (fracture growth plate)
• Sever disease (calcaneal apophysitis)
• Tarsal coalition
• "Turf toe" (sprain of the 1st metatarsal-phalengeal joint)

General medical conditions affecting athletes

• Complex regional pain syndrome

• Exercise-induced asthma

• Female athlete triad

• Heat illness

• Joint hypermobility syndrome

General orthopaedic conditions

• Clubfoot
• Foot and ankle pain
• Gait abnormalities
• Hip disorders

Athletes with special needs

• Repetitive strain injuries of the shoulder

Related

Media

• Video | 2:41 Your Child at Play: Parental Involvement
• Video | 2:02 Overuse Injuries in Young Athletes
• Video | 4:12 Institute for Sports Medicine: Sports…

More related media »

See also

• "Burnout" in young athletes (overtraining syndrome)
• "Little League elbow" (medial epicondylar apophysitis)
• "Little League shoulder" (proximal humeral epiphysitis)
• Achilles tendonitis
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury
• Gymnast wrist (distal radial epiphysitis)
• High ankle sprain (syndesmosis sprain)
• Injury prevention guidelines for young baseball pitchers
• Knee Injury Prevention Program (KIPP®)
• Metatarsal stress fracture
• Motion Analysis Center
• Multidirectional shoulder instability
• Orthopaedic surgery/Sports and rehabilitative medicine
• Overview of Institute for Sports Medicine
• Patellar tendonitis
• Sports injury prevention tips
• Stinger or burner (brachial plexus injury from sports)
• Thigh contusion (bruise)
• Training to Reduce injuries in Active Kids (TRAK®)
• Turf toe (sprain of the 1st metatarsal-phalengeal joint)

Stories

• Children’s advocates for new legislation, training to protect kids

Glossary terms

• sports injuries

Content last reviewed: March 2011