Overuse Injuries

Injuries don’t always happen suddenly with instant and intense pain. If you have an overuse injury, the pain increases over time. At Family and Sport Medicine Institute of NJ in Summit and Montclair, New Jersey, Melissa Mascaro, MD, Joelle Stabile Rehberg, DO, and Christina Hector, DO, treat overuse injuries so you can continue your life without making it worse. Call Family and Sport Medicine Institute of NJ or schedule an appointment online today.

What are overuse injuries?

Overuse injuries happen when you use a specific muscle or muscle group repeatedly using the same motion. Over time, the tissue accumulates, increasing damage. If you continue using the muscle or muscles, the injury gets worse and can take a very long time to heal. 

Repetitive trauma can cause injuries such as:

• Tendinitis
• Stress fractures
• Impingements
• Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
• Medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow)
• Patellofemoral syndrome (runner’s knee)
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

If you think you have an overuse injury, it’s important not to continue pushing yourself physically. You can’t “play through the pain,” as doing so can make the injury worse and can lead to even more pain. Overuse injuries often happen because people take on too much physical activity too quickly. 

How do most overuse injuries happen?

Overuse injuries can happen due to any movements you make repeatedly and for a long time. There are specific contexts where overuse injuries are particularly common:

Playing sports

You might be at risk of particular overuse injuries because of the sport you play. In fact, overuse injuries in athletes are so common that many common overuse injuries have sports in their names, like tennis elbow or runner’s knee. 

On the job

Even if you’re not an athlete of any level, you might be at risk of an overuse injury due to your job. You might sustain an overuse injury from reaching over your head repeatedly as a painter or carpal tunnel syndrome from typing. 

How are overuse injuries treated?

Family and Sport Medicine Institute of NJ provides individualized care and rehabilitation for overuse injuries so you can recover swiftly and continue working or enjoying your favorite activities. You have plenty of treatment options to alleviate pain and accelerate healing. 

Your overuse injury care plan might involve:

• Home care, including rest and ice
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
• Osteopathic manipulation
• Pharmaceutical medications
• Physical therapy

The Family and Sport Medicine Institute of NJ team tracks your healing as you rehabilitate your injury and tells you when it’s safe to compete again if you’re an athlete.

If you think you have an overuse injury, call Family and Sport Medicine Institute of NJ or schedule an appointment online today.