Overuse

Overuse injury

In fact, overuse is present in every injury. The load was then too great in relation to the load capacity (the load the body can handle without problems). Usually, overuse refers to an injury that has developed gradually.

In addition to the diagnosis, the cause of the overuse is particularly important in order to be able to treat it in a targeted way.

Causes of overuse

With overuse injuries, there are two categories: extrinsic and intrinsic causes. The extrinsic factors are the (external) circumstances that mainly influence the load. The intrinsic factors are the personal characteristics that determine how much load someone can tolerate. The extrinsic factors are usually easy to identify; the intrinsic factors are more difficult.

Extrinsic factors  
Training
  • Trained too often
  • Trained too long
  • Trained too hard
  • Built up too quickly
  • Insufficient recovery
  • Poor technique
Footwear
  • Worn-out shoes
  • Too little support
  • Too much support
  • Shoes too small
  • Shoes too large
  • Wrong type of shoes
Surface
  • Too hard
  • Too soft
  • Sloping
  • Descending
  • Uneven
(Sports) equipment
  • Ill-fitting clothing
  • Grip too thick or too thin in tennis, hockey, badminton etc.
  • Racket string tension
  • Protective equipment (shin and knee guards, helmet etc.)
  • Wrong size or adjustment of, for example, a bike or bow
Environmental factors
  • Too warm
  • Too cold
  • Humid
  • Dry
Stress
  • Overtiredness
  • Poor recovery
'Poor' nutrition
  • Eating too much or too little
  • Insufficient nutrients
Intrinsic factors  
Age
  • Young or old
Sex
  • Male or female
Posture
  • Good or poor posture
Body build
  • Leg length difference
  • Flat feet
  • Structure of the skeleton
  • Height
  • Weight
Muscle imbalance
  • Poor cooperation between different muscles
Muscle weakness
  • Too little muscle strength
Stiffness
  • Muscle tension
  • Joint stiffness
  • Insufficient flexibility
Metabolic disorders
  • Problems with the absorption of nutrients
Hereditary factors
  • The rate at which someone can build strength, speed or fitness is largely determined by heredity
Medical factors
  • Previous operations
  • Cardiac abnormalities

Load and load capacity

Load and load capacity play a crucial role in overuse injuries. In an acute injury, the load over a very short time has been too big, causing a tear or fracture. In overuse injuries, the load has been too high over a long time. This can involve bone, muscle, and tendon tissue as well as cartilage or ligaments.

The load capacity of the tissue depends on all the factors described. In particular, stress factors are often underestimated. With a busy working week and poor sleep, the same training can suddenly cause overuse. At that moment, load capacity is lower than in a rested situation.

Underloading

Long-term underloading (too little load) is a major problem. Due to long-term underloading, everyday things are more likely to cause overuse. It is therefore essential to continue to load the body, even as you get older. As we age, load capacity decreases. However, by loading the body even less because of this, load capacity will decline even faster, with overuse occurring more quickly as a result.

Treatment of overuse injuries

The first approach to overuse injuries is (relative) rest. This is to allow the affected area to recover.

At the same time, treatment will consist of addressing causal factors. Both extrinsic and intrinsic factors are considered. The extrinsic factors are relatively easy to resolve. The intrinsic factors are more difficult because these are often personal characteristics. Age and medical factors, for example, cannot be changed. The relationship between the risk factors and the overuse injury is especially important.

Every individual has slight postural deviations or an imbalance between muscles. The question is when these factors cause overuse? And why, for example, do fallen foot arches cause complaints in one person and not in another?

Physiotherapy for overuse

Could you use help finding the balance between load and load capacity? Or do you need treatment for your overuse injury? Make an appointment with the physiotherapist for detailed advice and/or treatment. Enter your postcode below to find the nearest physiotherapist to you.

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