Many athletes, including some children and adolescents, take creatine supplements because they think it will increase strength and improve sports performance. There is currently no conclusive evidence that creatine supplements improve performance for sports activities.| orthoinfo.aaos.org
A stress fracture is a small crack in a bone. Most stress fractures are caused by overuse and repetitive activity, and are common in runners and athletes. This article describes the causes and symptoms of stress fractures and includes tips for preventing them.| orthoinfo.aaos.org
Some young people use steroids—synthetic hormones that can boost muscle mass—to improve their physical appearance or improve athletic performance. While using steroids may increase the size of their muscles, the risks to their health are significant.| orthoinfo.aaos.org
Although running injuries are quite common, there are many things you can do to reduce your risk for injury. Be sure to follow proper conditioning and training programs, wear appropriate apparel and footwear, and always be aware of your running environment.| orthoinfo.aaos.org
One of the most common knee injuries is an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain or tear. Partial tears of the anterior cruciate ligament are rare; most ACL injuries are complete or near complete tears.| orthoinfo.aaos.org