Common knee injuries in football
Knee pain is one of the main reasons young footballers miss training and games. The knee absorbs heavy load during sprinting, cutting, kicking, jumping and landing, so it is no surprise that it can become painful.
The challenge for parents is that “knee pain” can mean many different things. Some causes are growth-related and very common in teenagers. Others are more significant sporting injuries that need prompt assessment.
Why adolescent footballers get knee problems
Teenagers are dealing with a unique mix of:
rapid growth
high football load
changing strength and coordination
club sport plus school sport
not always getting ideal sleep or recovery
This combination means some knee problems are overload conditions, while others are acute injuries.
Common knee injuries and pain conditions
1. Osgood-Schlatter disease
This causes pain and tenderness at the bony bump just below the kneecap. It is especially common in active teenagers involved in running and jumping sports.
2. Patellofemoral pain
This causes pain around or behind the kneecap. It is often worse with running, squatting, stairs, lunges or prolonged sitting. It is usually related to overload and movement control rather than a major structural injury.
3. Patellar tendon pain
This affects the tendon just below the kneecap and can become sore with jumping, sprinting and deceleration.
4. Ligament injuries
These include injuries such as ACL or MCL sprains. They are less common than overload pain, but they are significant and usually occur with twisting, cutting, landing or contact.
5. Meniscus injuries
The meniscus is cartilage inside the knee. Injury can occur with twisting or impact and may cause swelling, pain, clicking or locking.
A simple way to picture it
Diagram idea:
Front view of the knee with labels for the kneecap, patellar tendon, tibial tubercle and joint line
Use separate callouts for “pain around kneecap,” “pain below kneecap,” and “pain on the joint line”
Caption: “Where the pain sits can give important clues about the likely problem.”
What symptoms matter most?
Parents should pay attention to:
swelling after a game or training
pain below the kneecap
pain around the kneecap with stairs or squats
locking or catching
the knee giving way
inability to fully straighten the knee
limping or altered running
When is it more urgent?
A prompt assessment is especially important if there is:
a twisting injury followed by swelling
a popping sensation
instability or giving way
locking
inability to continue playing or walk normally
These signs may suggest a more significant injury rather than a simple overload issue.
How physiotherapy helps
A proper assessment helps separate common overload problems from injuries that may need imaging or medical review.
We assess:
where the pain is located
whether swelling is present
strength and movement control
jumping and landing mechanics
hip and ankle contribution
training load and recovery
Treatment may include:
pain reduction strategies
load management
strength and control work
tendon rehabilitation where needed
landing retraining
running progressions
return-to-play testing
How to reduce knee injury risk
While not every injury can be prevented, risk can often be lowered through:
structured warm-ups
good landing technique
hip and lower-limb strength
balance and coordination training
gradual increases in football load
early treatment for smaller pain issues
The bottom line
Not all knee pain in adolescent footballers is the same. Some conditions are growth-related and manageable with the right plan. Others are more serious and need early diagnosis.
If your child at Rockdale Ilinden has knee pain, swelling or instability, our physiotherapy team can assess the problem, explain what is going on in plain language, and guide the right recovery plan.