Sports Injuries: Knee

The incidence and prevalence of acute traumatic and chronic overuse knee injuries in children are on the rise with approximately 2.5 million sports-related knee injuries presenting to the Emergency Department annually. This averages to approximately 2.29 knee injuries per 1000 pediatric patients [1]. In the United States, up to 60 million children, between the ages of 6 and 18, participate in organized sports each year [2]. Participation at high to elite levels as well as at younger ages place greater demands on the growing musculoskeletal system, which can lead to reversible and irreversible adaptive changes and if not properly treated, can cause permanent damage and biomechanical failure. Sports such as basketball, football, and soccer produce the largest proportion of knee injuries [3], which are more common with girls. In particular, female high school athletes are 4–6 times more likely to sustain a major knee injury [3]. Common causes of injury, acute or overuse, include improper technique and muscle weakness, which can be treated with skills training and muscle strengthening or conditioning programs.