Sports injuries

Sport injuries in the paediatric and adolescent patient: a growing problem

With an increasing number of paediatric and adolescent athletes presenting with injuries due to overuse, a greater demand is put on clinicians and radiologists to assess the specific type of injury. Repetitive forces applied to the immature skeleton cause a different type of injury than those seen in adults due to the differences in vulnerability of the musculoskeletal system, especially at the site of the growth cartilage. Intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors all play a role in the development of overuse injuries. MRI plays a key role in imaging overuse injuries due to its high potential for depicting cartilaginous and soft-tissue structures. Sport-specific biomechanics are described, since this knowledge is essential for adequate MRI assessment. An overview of several sport-related injuries is presented, based on anatomical location.

Imaging of sports injuries in children and adolescents

Sports injuries may be unique in childhood and adolescence due to the inherent weakness of the growing skeleton at specific sites, mainly the cartilaginous parts. Many injuries are predictable based on the known mechanism of injury encountered in certain sports. There are two distinct patterns of injury in sports; acute, and chronic or overuse. Imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of these entities. Radiologists should be familiar with the advantages and limitations of the various imaging modalities when evaluating the injured young athlete. The present review focuses on the radiological findings and appropriate imaging approach in injuries that are typically or most commonly encountered in the skeletally immature athletes.

Musculoskeletal injuries in sports

A large number of adolescents participate in various sports. Not withstanding the methodologic problems with epidemiologic data, a large percentage of athletes sustain musculoskeletal injuries. In most instances, the athlete first presents to his or her primary care physician, who must perform the initial assessment and decide on further management. Many injuries can be managed by the primary care physician. It is important to recognize the unique characteristics of adolescent growth and development that have implications for the diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal injuries.