Chronic/overuse injuries develop when repeated stress causes microscopic tissue damage faster than the body can repair it. Technique contributes by changing the magnitude, direction and distribution of forces on muscles, tendons, bones and joints.
The Mechanism
During training, tissues experience microtrauma. With appropriate recovery, adaptation occurs and tissue becomes more load-tolerant. If loading is too frequent, intense or prolonged, cumulative damage exceeds repair, causing tendinopathy, stress fractures or shin splints.
Causes are classified as intrinsic risk factors, originating within the performer, and extrinsic risk factors, arising from the activity or environment.
| Factor | How it contributes to overuse injury |
|---|---|
| Training errors | Sudden increases in frequency, intensity or duration exceed current tissue capacity. |
| Inadequate recovery | Insufficient rest prevents tissue repair and increases cumulative microtrauma. |
| Previous injury | Reduced strength, mobility or proprioception may alter movement and transfer stress elsewhere. |
| Imbalance | Weakness, poor flexibility or asymmetry can concentrate stress on particular tissues. |
| Equipment and surface | Unsuitable footwear, hard surfaces or poorly adjusted equipment can increase loading. |
| Poor technique | Inefficient movement repeatedly directs excessive force through vulnerable structures. |
Technique affects biomechanical loading. A runner who overstrides may experience greater braking forces and repeated lower-limb loading; a swimmer with poor shoulder alignment may repeatedly stress the rotator cuff. Because these movements occur hundreds of times, even a small error can create substantial cumulative stress.
A common misconception is that poor technique alone causes every overuse injury. Injury is usually multifactorial: technique interacts with training load, recovery, physical characteristics, equipment and previous injury.
Exam Technique
For an IB SEHS command term such as explain, identify the factor and show the causal chain: repeated loading or technical error leads to microtrauma, inadequate repair, cumulative tissue damage and chronic injury. Use a sport-specific example and avoid merely listing causes.