Abstract

Football, like any contact sport it is susceptible to various kinds of injuries. Long-term planning is a characteristic and requirement of modern training as it can greatly increase training efficiency for future competitions (Bompa, 1999). Epidemiological findings suggest that little is known about the injury risk among the youngest players between six and twelve years and also the injury risk is low (Froholdt, Olsen and Bahr, 2009). This article focus on the understanding of microtraumatology in youth sports and examines one specific injury Osgood Schlatter disease, and the main mechanisms whereby such injury occur. It is referred the link between methodology of training and the prevention of overuse injuries in youth as it relates to maladaptive sport programs. There is an increasing awareness to growth related conditions and the relation of musculoskeletal development and the onset of youth related conditions. The aethology is complex and the risk factors underpinning injury occurrence are considered, along with injury avoidance tactics. Functional treatment is justified even if there is an increased formation of ossicles on non-immobilization of the joint, since such ossification occurs with only 20–25% of all cases of Osgood-Schlatter disease and the duration of the complaints is markedly less enhanced than with immobilization measures (Engel & Windhager, 1987). Treatment and recovery should attend to athletes specific conditions and involves activity modification and pain relief.