Basketball is one of the most common recreational sports in the military. It is an excellent tool for fitness and fun that can break the monotony of a physical training program.
Basketball also happens to be a leading cause of sports-related injuries in the military. While lower extremities (ankles, knees, hips) are most commonly injured, there is a variety of upper extremity (shoulders, elbows, hands) and facial injuries (mouth, nose, eyes) that occur while playing basketball.
This article will briefly discuss two very common injuries and give some easy prevention techniques.
One of the most serious yet common injuries from basketball is a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament. The ACL is a vital ligament in the knee that helps keep the knee stable when a person bends at the knee, squats and jumps. The ACL can be torn or sprained when the player twists, jumps, lands, pivots or suddenly stops. Women are at much greater risk than men for tearing the ACL.
Another very common site of injury is the ankle. Ankle ligament sprains and tears usually occur when the foot is "rolled" or twisted inward after an awkward landing, pivot or cut. It's usually the outer ligaments of the ankle that get injured.
Both knee ACL and ankle ligament tears can result in surgery and rehabilitation lasting six months to a year. It's to the recreational athlete's benefit, then, to practice some simple techniques that may prevent a good time on the court from becoming a major injury.
1. Warm-up, warm-up, warm-up. The warm-up cannot be over emphasized for any sport; it becomes even more important if one rarely plays basketball. The warm-up involves practicing the specific movements that are required in basketball but at a much slower and controlled pace. Take 10 to 15 minutes to practice techniques such as jumping, landing, cutting, pivoting and handling the ball. These activities prime the muscles and nervous system to keep movements precise and controlled, which will protect ligaments, tendons and joints. Stretching is not the same as a warm-up but can be a part of the warm-up.
2. Don't try to play above your skill level. Overconfidence in one's athletic abilities has been the down-fall of many recreational basketball players. Don't get sloppy with technique or over-exuberant with movements that you may not be accustomed to doing. The "I used to dunk" syndrome is one example. Be aware of the skill level of your opponent, who may be much better (or worse) than you.
3. Use ankle braces. Those with prior ankle sprains are especially vulnerable to a re-injury and should consider wearing an ankle brace while playing basketball. It is unknown how much preventive value an ankle brace provides an athlete who has never sprained an ankle, but the ankle brace may be beneficial for those who are inexperienced or under-confident in their basketball movement skills. A quality ankle brace can usually be attained from sick-call or a military medical treatment facility's physical therapy clinic at no charge. Wearing knee braces while playing basketball, however, does not have much preventive value for knee injuries.
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