Pediatric and Adolescent Knee Injuries: Risk Factors and Preventive Strategies

Abstract

It is estimated that approximately 2.5 million sports-related knee injuries occur in the pediatric population annually in the United States. Thus, identifying appropriate screening tools and injury prevention strategies is imperative. To develop successful injury prevention strategies, risk factor identification is the first step. There are two types of risk factors: non-modifiable (age, gender, injury history, and anatomical alignment) and modifiable risk factors (biomechanical and neuromuscular control, training loads, and body mass index). These risk factors can be addressed by three types of preventive interventions: primary, secondary, and tertiary. To translate study evidence to clinical practices and routine trainings, awareness of injury prevention and health promotion needs to be further strengthened.

Keywords: ACL; Injury prevention; Injury risk factors; Neuromuscular training; Primary prevention; Secondary prevention; Tertiary prevention.