Basketball is a popular sport in America, particularly among young people.
People love to watch and play basketball, from March Madness to the NBA Finals.
However, the love of the game can come with the risk of injury.
No matter if you play in a recreational league or an organized league, injuries can happen.
Some injuries are more common than others, such as knee injuries. These injuries usually affect the lower body.
We’ve listed the five most popular types of basketball below:
Ankle sprains
Nearly half (50%) of all injuries resulting from basketball involve the foot and ankle. Basketball is dangerous for athletes because they can inflict injury on everything from rolling their ankles to landing awkwardly to being stepped on.
The RICE acronym is a common treatment for ankle injuries, particularly ankle sprains.
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression
- Elevation
This practice can treat most injuries without the need to visit the doctor. If you experience any of the following symptoms, however, it might be a good idea to visit urgent care.
- You can feel the pain directly on top of your outside bone.
- Incapacity to walk more than a few steps
Based on the severity of your sprain, physical therapy may also be an option.
A good rehab plan can usually get an athlete back to their sport within two-to six weeks.
Thigh bruises
A knee to the thigh injury can be the most painful for a basketball player.
This is why more athletes are now wearing compression clothing with thigh padding. A player can hit the muscle in the thigh enough to cause it to tighten and possibly bruise.
Athletes can usually play through bruises. A licensed therapist can give a deep tissue massage to help loosen the muscle.
The following are possible treatments for a thigh bruising:
- Massage
- ICE: Ice, compression and elevation
Knee injuries
This is not surprising if you play or watch basketball regularly.
These are the three biggest:
- Anterior Cruciate ligament (ACL),: These are the most well-known knee injuries. The ACL connects the thigh bone and the shin bone at knee.
An injury can be anything from a small tear to a large one. Bad tears, which are separated from the bone, require surgery and months of therapy to return to play. - Meniscus: The meniscus, also known as the ACL’s little brother, is the meniscus. Each knee has two of them, and they often get injured with the ACL.
The meniscus is one the two rubber-like, wedge-shaped cushions that cushion each knee joint. The thigh bones would be directly on top the lower leg bones without them. This bone-on-bone condition can lead to pain when the bones rub together.
The severity of the injury will determine how treatment is done. The treatment can range from ICE (which we discussed above), to surgery and/or physical therapy to just physical therapy.
- Patella tendon: Patella Tendonitis, also known as jumper’s Knee, is caused by inflammation of the patella tendon that connects your kneecap and your shin bone.
A physical therapist can often treat a jumper’s knee with a customized exercise program. The RICE method with emphasis on “R” is also very effective.
Jammed fingers
Jammed fingers can be extremely painful and common. These happen when the full-extension finger hits the ball “head-on” without bending.
Ouch!
This type of finger jam can cause immediate pain and swelling.
This injury, while it is uncomfortable, isn’t serious.
Jammed fingers usually heal themselves without the need to visit the emergency room.
Buddy tapping (taping one finger to the other) and icing are two methods that can speed up the healing process.
If you are still experiencing pain or swelling, consult your doctor or a physical therapy professional to determine if something else is going on.
Concussion
About 15% of all sports-related injuries are caused by concussions, and this includes basketball.
Concussion refers to a brain injury caused by a direct impact to the head or neck like whiplash.
Many sports-related concussions are manageable by an individual athletic trainer or in conjunction with a physical therapist. A doctor or other health care professional may also be consulted by an athletic trainer.
Here are some examples of concussions that can occur in basketball:
- A gymnast hits their head hard on the gym floor.
- Two players can have head-to-head contact
- Contact head-to-elbow
- Contact head-to-shoulder
- A collision with the head
A concussion means that an athlete cannot return to sport for a certain period of time after being diagnosed. The waiting period can last between 5 and 7 days, or until the treating physician approves.
If symptoms persist, concussion healing can take time. For a successful healing process, it is important to be monitored by a health care provider if symptoms persist.
Nearly all injuries can be treated by a licensed physical therapist.
You think you might have one of these or another type sports injury?
Contact us today so that you can return to the court.