Dr Phil Kieran: Is overdoing it on the basketball court the cause of my child’s knee pain?

For overuse injuries, treatment usually involves identifying the cause, resting until the pain goes away, and gradually building the exercise back up

Basketball is a fast-paced sport, and it can be rough on the knees. Picture: iStock

Tue, 12 May, 2026 - 02:00

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Dr Phil Kieran

Dr Phil Kieran is a full-time GP practising in Cork. He previously presented RTE's 'You Should Really See a Doctor' and 'How Long Will You Live?'.

My 16-year-old is a keen basketball player. In the past month or so, she has been complaining of knee pain after intense matches or training sessions. Could she have patellar tendinitis or a similar overuse injury?

Basketball is a fast-paced sport, and it can be rough on the knees. The constant explosive movements and rapid changes of direction are pretty extreme.