Overuse injuries in adolescents.

The incidence of overuse injuries in young athletes is on the rise and accounts for a significant number of visits to the primary care office. There are distinctive intrinsic and extrinsic factors that place young athletes at risk for overuse injuries. These injuries vary in severity from being a temporary inconvenience to having potential lifelong morbidity. An understanding of the young athlete and their unique injuries is important for enabling early recognition and treatment. Prevention strategies are also discussed.