Definition of the lower extremity overuse: A review

Military Medicine Research and study centre, Rıga Stradiņš University, Riga, Latvia

Abstract

Injuries of the lower extremity overuse are common among different adult populations with high physical demands such as athletes and soldiers. Contradiction exists among used different definitions of overuse injury. Objective: to identify most common overuse injury definition and propose overuse injury criteria based on recent literature review. Methods: literature review of the most recent literature about lower extremity overuse injuries published between 2013 and June 2018. Studies retrieved through MEDLINE, PubMEd and ScienceDirect, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria and language restrictions. Results: 18 articles met all inclusion criteria out of 2995 articles screened. Included research populations are different sport athletes (n = 11) and soldiers (n = 5). Most studies described such overuse injuries as lower extremity stress fractures (n = 10) and Achilles tendinopathy (n = 7). Most reported overuse injury definition – injury due to large amount of physical activity training (n = 8) or repetitive micro-trauma (n = 4), Conclusions: lower extremity overuse injury is an injury due to high physical load because of incomplete repair process and with gradual onset. Important criteria for defining overuse injury include absence of known single traumatic event, progressive symptoms and lack of recovery period.