General aspects of sports in adolescents with a special focus on knee injuries in the adolescent handball player

Knees in children and adolescents cannot be compared to adults’ knees. Due to the large physiological changes occurring in and around the knee at this age, knee injuries in children are very specific. Adolescence is typically the age period where sports training load and performance increases significantly and where external forces applied to the knee joint become comparable to adult joint loads. On the other hand, the young athletes’ body and mind are not comparable to an adult population. Several so-called pediatric diseases may still be present. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that parents, coaches, team staff, and decision-makers in clubs, sports schools, and federations who share responsibilities of adolescent handball players are aware of the fact that this age group has some particularities which make them susceptible to sustain specific injuries. The current chapter provides an overview of some general aspects in youth sports with a special focus on knee injuries and diseases but also on existing knowledge gaps.