Is there anything I can do to prevent basketball injuries?

A: Yes. Whether your son plays competitively or for recreation, basketball presents the body with unique challenges and rigors that can cause injury. It’s important to get your body in good shape before hitting those hardwood floors. Basketball injuries can be separated into two general categories: overuse injuries and traumatic injuries.

Overuse Injuries

Overuse injuries are caused by stressing an area repeatedly until it is damaged and begins to hurt. Overuse injuries are generally the result of poor mechanics and imbalances in muscle strength and flexibility. The tendon, muscle, or joint surface becomes overloaded, weak and begins to break down. This creates inflammation and pain. A common overuse injury in basketball is patellar tendonitis, or “jumpers knee” (see, those knees again!), which is characterized by pain in the tendon below the knee cap.

Traumatic Injuries

Traumatic injuries are caused by a sudden forceful movement. One of the most common in basketball are finger sprains or “jammed finger”. The severity of this injury can range from a minor ligament sprain to a broken finger. Splinting may be required to allow the injured finger to heal. The most common basketball injury is the ankle sprain. Typically, ankle sprains occur when a player lands on another player’s foot and the ankle rolls to far outward. When this happens, the ligaments connecting the bones and supporting the ankle are stretched or torn. The ligaments can tear partially or completely. It is important that you do not ignore an ankle sprain. Recurrent sprains are quite common if you do not seek the proper treatment and follow through with specific strengthening exercises. If your muscles and ligaments are not strong enough to prevent re-injury, you might need surgery.

Seven Tips to Prevent Basketball Injuries

Always warm up and stretch. Studies have shown that muscles are more prone to injury when they are cold. Get the blood flowing to the muscles with activities like jumping jacks, stationary cycling, jogging in place for 5 minutes. Then slowly and gently stretch for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Follow these other tips to prevent basketball injury:

• Play only your position and know where the other players are on the court in order to reduce the chances of collision.
• Wear basketball shoes that fit snugly, offer good support and are non-skid.
• Protective knee and elbow pads can prevent abrasions and bruises.
• Use a mouth guard to protect teeth and mouth.
• If you wear glasses, use safety glasses or glass guards to protect your eyes (like Kareem).
• Do not wear jewelry or chew gum.
• Baskets and boundary lines should not be too close to walls, bleachers, or other structures.