Andrew Lay, Physiotherapist
Common Basketball Injuries & PHYSIOTHERAPY TREATMENT AND PREVENTION IN MELBOURNE
Basketball is a high impact and multidirectional sport with lots of repetitive jumping and short spurts of high speed running.
To perform well, good agility, speed and power are necessary as well as the ability to produce such movements repeatedly across the period spent on the court.
However, the physical demands of the game make players susceptible to various injuries.
Understanding common basketball injuries, how they occur, and ways to prevent and treat them can help players maintain optimal performance and reduce downtime due to missing games.
In this article we discuss some of the most common basketball injuries, prevention and treatment
1. Patellar Tendon Injuries in Basketballers
There are 2 ways to jump in basketball: off 2 legs or off 1 leg.
The patellar tendon is important for jumping and landing particularly off 2 legs, for example when needing to explode up for a rebound near the ring off both legs where there is no run up, similar to a box jump motion.
Because of the high use or load on the patella tendon during basketball, patella tendon pain is common and the impact can be anything from a nuisance that just seems to persist without affecting performance, to severe pain that limits athletic and jumping ability and force players to miss matches.
Causes of patella tendon pain in basketballers
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Repeated double leg jumping and landing beyond what the tendon is capable doing
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Sharp increases in the amount of jumping and landing, for example suddenly playing 3 times a week from previously playing once a week
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Inadequate quads strength, and potentially inadequate hip, calf and trunk strength
Prevention of patella tendon pain in basketballers
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Incorporate gentle double legged jumping and landing drills during warm-ups before basketball
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Ensure good quadriceps, hip and calf strength and ideally with heavy weights for strength training and light weights for plyometric exercises
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Avoid sharp or sudden increases in playing time, or repetitive jumping
Treatment of patella tendon pain in basketballers
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Reduce playing or jumping load to a more manageable pain level
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Ensure good strength of weak muscle groups. Ideally each quadriceps are as strong as at least 75% of body weight tested at the clinic using specialised equipment
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Gradual increase in playing load back to pre-injury level
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2. Achilles Tendon Injuries in Basketballers
The other way to jump in basketball is off 1 leg.
For example when performing an open lay up on a fast break after forcing a turnover.
This places more pressure on the Achilles tendon.
Causes of Achilles tendon pain in basketballers
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Repeated single leg jumping (or hopping) and landing beyond what the tendon is capable doing
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Sharp increases in the amount of jumping and landing
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Inadequate calf strength, and potentially inadequate strength in other muscle groups of the leg
Prevention of Achilles tendon pain in basketballers
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Incorporate gentle double legged jumping and landing drills during warm-ups before basketball
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Ensure good quadriceps, hip and calf strength and ideally with heavy weights for strength training and light weights for plyometric exercises
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Avoid sharp or sudden increases in playing time, or repetitive jumping
Treatment of Achilles tendon pain in basketballers
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Temporarily reduce playing or jumping load to a more manageable pain level
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Ensure good strength of weak muscle groups. Ideally each calf is as strong as at least 150% of body weight tested at the clinic using specialised equipment
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Gradual increase in playing load back to pre-injury level
3. Ankle Sprains in Basketballers
Ankle sprains are injuries to the ligaments on the outside of the ankle and probably the most common basketball injury, usually occurring when a player lands awkwardly on the ankle and it is accidentally forced to roll inwards.
Typically this causes swelling, pain with walking and running, and a feeling of looseness or reduced stability
Causes of ankle sprains in basketballers
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Sudden forced twists or rolls of the ankle.
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Poor landing mechanics or uneven outdoor playing surfaces
Prevention of ankle sprains in basketballers
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Good single leg balance
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Appropriate ankle braces or taping
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Ensure proper footwear with good ankle support.
Treatment of ankle sprains in basketballers
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Short-term taping or bracing during the initial stages to assist with walking
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Joint mobilisations to improve ankle joint flexibility
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Balance exercises
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Calf strengthening - ideally to at least 150% of body weight
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Multi-directional basketball drills to prepare the ankle for basketball
3. Knee ligament injuries - ACL & MCL tears in Basketballers
The ligaments of the knee keep it stable by making sure that the knee doesn’t move too far in any direction, particularly preventing excessive sideways, twisting and straightening.
However basketball involves repetitive movements in all directions, and often at high speed. Imagine performing a euro step to get around a defender, or having to pivot quickly when reacting on defense.
Unfortunately, when the knee is forced into moving too far, the force of the movement may cause the ligaments to tear.
The direction of the movement will give clues as to which ligament may be injured. They may be injured with or without contact from other players.
Multiple ligaments may be injured at the same time as well as potentially meniscus tears.
Adolescents may also suffer from Osgood Schlatters disease.
Causes of ACL & MCL tears in Basketballers:
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Rapid changes in direction
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Forced excessive knee movement in any direction
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Weak hip and thigh muscles
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Lack of recent playing
Prevention of ACL & MCL tears in Basketballers:
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Regular agility drills to improve knee control.
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Hip and thigh muscle strengthening
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Single leg control and landing technique training
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Basketball play on a regular basis
Treatment of ACL & MCL tears in Basketballers:
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Depends on the extent of injury and whether the injury requires surgery
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Quads, hamstrings and hip strengthening
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Single leg stability re-training to restore knee stability for walking, running and then cutting, pivot and change of direction during basketball
4. Lower back Injuries in Basketballers
Basketball players are also prone to back issues, including lumbar disc and joint related injuries. This is due to the demands of regular high impact contact and general high intensity play.
Examples include the repetitive contact when contesting rebounds, or running into screens when on defense.
Causes of Lower Back Injuries in Basketballers:
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Excessive high impact beyond which the lower back is strong enough to tolerate
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Sharp increase in the amount of basketball play in a short period of time
Prevention of Lower Back Injuries in Basketballers:
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Strengthen core muscles to support the spine
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Good movement control of the pelvis
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Avoid overtraining and ensure adequate rest
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Avoid sharp increases in playing
Treatment of Lower Back Injuries in Basketballers:
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Restoring good lower back movement and control through appropriate exercises
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Hands on treatment
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Core stability training
General Tips for Injury Prevention for Basketballers
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Warm Up and Cool Down: Always dedicate time to warming up before games and cooling down afterward. Warming up should include basketball skills such as dribbling and shooting, and also the whole body such as hip and knee specific exercises
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Conditioning: Maintain overall fitness through regular strength training, cardiovascular workouts, and flexibility exercises.
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Listen to Your Body: Avoid playing through moderate or worse pain, as this can exacerbate injuries. See a Sports Physiotherapist for management to fix the issue
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Cross Training: Incorporate activities like weight lifting and stretching to improve mobility, strength and stability of specific muscles and joints.
How can we help you?
At Melbourne Sports Physiotherapy our goal is to get you moving pain free as soon as possible.
But, we also want you to actually move better and live a healthier, more active and fulfilling life!
If your sports, fitness training or work has been wearing your body down, book in with one of our expert massage therapists so we can help you reduce your pain or stiffness.
If you are showing some signs of this condition or simply want help prevent this from happening in the future then book in with one of our highly experienced Remedial Massage Therapists today!
You can make an appointment by calling or booking online.
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