Physeal Stress Injuries in Young Athletes

Participation in youth sport has important and wide-ranging health benefits. However, year-round involvement in youth sport with high levels of repetitive movement fosters an environment where overuse injuries can occur. Of particular concern are physeal stress injuries (PSIs) which are unique to skeletally immature athletes. These injuries may be associated with substantial injury burden and can progress to produce skeletal growth disturbance. This book summarizes the status of our knowledge on the occurrence, underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of PSIs in youth sport.

Physeal Stress Injuries in Young Athletes: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention is organized into three parts.  Part I, Introduction opens with a chapter on bone growth for readers to better understand and anticipate potential complications and growth disturbance that can arise from PSIs. Two chapters follow which provide an overview of two anatomically distinct types of PSIs – epiphyseal and apophyseal PSIs. Part II, Diagnosis and Treatment consists of 8 chapters covering common sites of epiphyseal and apophyseal PSIs, anatomically divided into those occurring at the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand and fingers, spine, pelvis and hip, knee, ankle and foot. Each chapter follows a similar outline with detail on location-specific information related to epidemiology, injury mechanism and pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic imaging, management and prognosis. Part III, Prevention consists of a chapter that reviews risk factors and evaluates general and specific preventive measures which are designed to prevent PSIs.

Primary care sports medicine physicians, urgent and emergency care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, physical and athletic therapists, and athletic trainers will find this book helpful in identifying and treating young athletes with PSIs. These healthcare professionals, together with sport governing bodies and coaches, can also apply the information in this book to inform the development and optimization of injury prevention programs and to reduce underdiagnosis and undertreatment of PSIs.