No! Kids aren’t just little adults! And they have a whole different set of injuries that adults don’t get.
A lot of injuries we see in the clinic are associated with kids that are growing. There is a whole set of conditions that involve the attachment of a muscle to a bone. Often, a bone will grow faster than the muscle alongside it. The point where the muscle attaches to the bone experiences too much pulling (traction), and there can be pain associated with it. The most common conditions in this category are Osgood-Schlatters syndrome at the front of the knee (below the kneecap, at the top of the shin bone), and Sever’s disease at the heel. Physio helps with these conditions by finding ways to reduce pain, planning training load, and helping build strength around the injury to ensure the fastest recovery.
Sometimes, injuries which look like muscle tears can actually be a bit more serious in adolescents. In this age group, the muscles and tendons can be stronger than the bone attachment. Instead of a muscle tearing in an injury, the bone can be pulled away with the muscle. This is known as an avulsion fracture. It is most often seen at the front of the hip, where the thigh muscles attach. To recover best from this injury, it’s important to get a proper diagnosis early on. Physio can then help guide the recovery with the right amount of rest time, and then a graded return to sport.
