Common Basketball Injuries

Ankle Sprain
A common injury among basketball players. A sprain is stretching and tearing of ligaments. (You sprain a ligament and strain a muscle). The most common damage done in an ankle sprain is to the talo-fibula ligament. If the injury is worse you might also damage the calcanao-fibula ligament. In addition to the ligament damage you could well have damaged tendons as well....more.

Achilles Tendinitis
Achillies tendinitis is common in basketball due to the eccentric forces through the tendon from jumping and landing. Achillies tendinitis can be the result of overuse or follow a partial tear or rupture.....more

Shin Splints
Shin splints is a general name given for pain in the lower leg or shin. A common cause is periostitis or inflammation of the periostium or sheath surrounding the tibia (shin bone). It is an overuse injury and can be brought on in basketball players by a sudden increase in training levels, training on hard surfaces or running on the toes. Biomechanical problems of the foot such as over-pronation can also be a factor...more

Hand Injuries
Hand injuries are common when attempting to block a a spiked ball. Sprains and strains are most common, followed by fractures and contusions and dislocations with the thumb and little finger being most at risk. The metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb is the most commonly injured ligament in the hand (known as a thumb sprain) along with finger sprains.

Patella Tendinitis (Jumpers Knee)
A common overuse injury in basketball resulting in pain on a point at the bottom of the kneecap or patella. The patella tendon (or ligament as it is sometimes called) connects the kneecap to tibia bone. Under extreme stresses such as those involved in jumping a partial rupture can occur......more

Osgood Schlatters Disease
Osgood Schlatters is a painful condition mainly affecting young basketball players who undergo a growth spurt. Pain is felt at the tibial tuberosity (bony bit where the patella tendon attaches to the shin bone a couple of centimetres below the kneecap....more

Knee Cartilage Injuries
Damage to the cartilage meniscus in the knee can result from jumping and pivoting or can be the result of overuse. Injury can be to the medial meniscus (inside) or the lateral meniscus (outside). The medial meniscus is often damaged with a bad medial meniscus injury.....more

Knee Ligament Injuries
Caused by knee rotation from pivoting, changing direction, decelerating, landing off balance or impact from another player. The lateral ligament, medial ligament anterior cruciate or posterior cruciate can be injured or a combination of the above.

Hamstring strain
A tear of the hamstring muscle at the back of the thigh. Thought to be more common in basketball players who fail to warm up properly or do not stretch adequately. Sometimes excessive quadriceps training to enable higher jumping can lead to an imbalance between the quads and hamstrings.....more

Thigh Contusion
A bruising caused by impact to the thigh usually from another players knee or elbow. As a result, blood vessels are damaged and bleeding occurs. The injury can be minor or result in weeks off training....more