It is important to identify the early signs and symptoms of over use and overload injuries to protect the athlete. In order to do so we must take a closer look at why they occur. I have great respect for this weeks Author Rob Conatser, he has opened my eyes and shed the light on how to combat overtraining and old methodology.-Mike Atkinson
Author- Rob Conatser -LAT, MA, ATC, CSCS,
Founder of
Sierra Strength and Speed, Reno ,NV
In the young athlete especially the young basketball player we are seeing alot of patellar tendonitis AKA jumpers knee. Jumpers knee is an overuse or overload injury involving the patellar tendon.
Overuse and Overload
There are a lot of causative factors for jumpers knee but for the scope of this talk we are going to focus on two things, overuse and loading. Overuse and loading could be thought of as being the same factor, however I will explain the difference.
I feel that what we are seeing in terms of overuse is too much of one sport, too much one dimensional movement and too much one dimensional modes of practice. Basketball year round, performing 5-6 games per weekend with the thought that the only way to improve our basketball athletes is with more and more basketball.
Overload is the way in which these young athletes are jumping, landing and playing in poor position. Their body position is not only very poor for movement and poor for performance but is of great stress to the knee, ankle, and hip and the poor ability to put the necessary stress into the muscles to allow them to function and perform.
Evaluate the way you prepare for competition
If we change two things with these athletes I guarantee there will be a drop in injuries and in improvement in performance.
- We need to teach the athlete of the new millenium how to use there hips. They need to learn that the first move in a squat or defensive position occurs in the hips NOT the knees.
- They need to allow the athlete to recover. For so many of these young athletes less is more Quality over Quantity every time.
OTHER RESOURCES
Jumper's Knee
Championship Season Immunity Lulls, Cortisol, and Inflammation | Boddicker Performance
