Basketball Injuries Are Extremely Common, But A Warm-Up Program May Help Mitigate This Risk
Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the country, and its popularity continues to grow as athletes are drawn to its fast pace and evolving nature. Unfortunately, one downside of this increased participation in basketball is that it also comes with a higher rate of injuries in a sport that’s already known to be high-risk.
Basketball Results in A Lot of Stress on the Knees & Ankles
To play basketball competitively, players must move at fast speeds and display great agility and coordination on the court. Though every position requires a different set of skills, each player needs to run, jump, make quick changes in direction, and accelerate and decelerate with and without the ball. Though these rapid movements are integral to the game, they also put competitive players at risk for injury.
Basketball Injuries are Common – Ankle & Knee Problems Happen the Most
Injuries can occur in several regions of the body, but the ankle is by far the area injured most. Ankle sprains account for about 25% of all injuries in basketball, which makes them a major concern for basketball players of all ages. Ankle sprains occur any time the foot twists or rolls beyond its normal range of motion, which is usually from a player landing on another player’s foot wrong or twisting the ankle when making a cut. The knees are another problem area in basketball players due to the running, jumping, and cutting motions involved. Jumper’s knee and injuries to the meniscus and ligaments—including the ACL—are all very common in all age groups of basketball players. Ankle sprains, ACL tears, and other injuries can all cause basketball players to be sidelined for an extended period, and in some cases, to miss an entire season.
Study Monitors Players on 31 Basketball Teams for Two Seasons
To help mitigate this risk, many basketball teams have now incorporated injury-prevention programs into their routine, often with successful outcomes. This is exemplified in a recently published study, which highlights the type of impact a program like this can have on young basketball players.
For the study, players on 31 high school or club basketball teams—307 male and female players aged 11 to 18 years—were monitored for two seasons. During the first season, players only participated in a standard of practice warm-up. During the second season, all players participated in a training warm-up program called the Surveillance in High school and community sport to Reduce (SHRed) Injuries Basketball, which was designed to reduce ankle and knee injuries in youth basketball players. The SHRed Injuries Basketball program lasted 10 minutes and consisted of 13 exercises, which were intended to improve aerobics, agility, strength, and balance. A log was then kept of all injuries that occurred during these two seasons and comparisons were made between them to tease out any notable differences.
Study Results Demonstrate that Ankle Sprains & Knee Injuries Can be Significantly Reduced
Results showed that the SHRed Injuries Basketball program was protective of both knee and ankle injuries, as the rate of injuries was 36% lower in season 2 than season 1. This type of program can easily be incorporated into a warm-up routine, and based on these findings, it may yield dividends and keep young basketball players on the court injury-free for longer.
We’re Here to Help
At Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy, we can provide assistance with an injury-prevention program for your basketball team, or if an injury does occur, we can guide players through a comprehensive rehabilitation program that will get them back on the court as quickly and safely as possible.
If You’ve Already Suffered a Sports Injury – We Can Help You Get Back in the Game
Call us at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) for more information or schedule an appointment today.
