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Most Common Basketball Injuries: Osteochondral Lesions

The document discusses some of the most common basketball injuries including ankle sprains, Achilles tendonitis, patellar tendonitis, muscle strains, ACL tears, and finger injuries. Ankle sprains are often caused by rolling the ankle inward or outward and can be treated with RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). Achilles tendonitis results from overuse of the Achilles tendon from activities like jumping and landing. Patellar tendonitis is caused by repeated stress on the patellar tendon connecting the kneecap to the shinbone.

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RaghuSrinivasan
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72 views8 pages

Most Common Basketball Injuries: Osteochondral Lesions

The document discusses some of the most common basketball injuries including ankle sprains, Achilles tendonitis, patellar tendonitis, muscle strains, ACL tears, and finger injuries. Ankle sprains are often caused by rolling the ankle inward or outward and can be treated with RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). Achilles tendonitis results from overuse of the Achilles tendon from activities like jumping and landing. Patellar tendonitis is caused by repeated stress on the patellar tendon connecting the kneecap to the shinbone.

Uploaded by

RaghuSrinivasan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Most Common Basketball Injuries

Basketball has proven to be an excellent way to strengthen the body and


mind for members of all generations. The physical demands of the game
are a great way to work all the muscles in your body while the necessity
for coordination and strategy can push you to expand your mental
horizons. Of course, such an exertive activity does not come without
risk. Below we will discuss some of the most common basketball
injuries.

Oste och on dral Lesion s

Osteochondral lesions are injuries to the bone and overlying cartilage of


the talus, the bottom bone of the ankle. They may take the form of a
fracture or a cyst causing prolonged pain, swelling and/or instability of
the ankle joint. This condition is generally caused by traumatic injury,
commonly a sprain.

As basketball is such a high impact sport, it is of no surprise that most


ankle injuries sustained while playing will be diagnosed as this
condition. While it is possible to treat osteochondral lesions with
immobilization and reduced weight bearing, the highest recovery rate
lies with surgery. Either way, this injury is likely to have you out of the
game for at least a few months and could end your basketball career.

Pate llar Te n don itis

Patellar tendonitis (commonly known as jumper’s knee) is an


inflammation of the patellar tendon which runs from your kneecap to
your shin bone and is responsible for jumping, kicking and running.
Generally caused by regular jumping, patellar tendonitis results from
repeated tiny tears to the tendon.
Though we are inclined to think it is best to work through the pain, this
is not the case here. Further damage to the tendon may progress the
condition from pain while playing sports to difficulty in performing
everyday activities such as climbing stairs. Surgery is rarely necessary as
the most effective treatment is often prescribed exercise, anti-
inflammatory medication and avoidance of trigger movements.
Recovery is easily achievable once the body is given time to heal.

Jamme d Finger

Jammed finger is an impact injury which occurs when the tip of the
finger is compressed toward the hand causing sprain of the ligaments or,
in extreme cases, tearing. Symptoms will include swelling, pain,
inability to bend or straighten the finger and grip. Even if some of these
symptoms do not appear, medical attention is recommended.

This injury is all too familiar to many basketball players as an


occupational hazard. The good news is that surgery is rarely necessary
as the condition may be treated with a splint or strapping the injured
finger to another finger. The bad news is that swelling may not go down
for up to a year, keeping you off the court for longer than you might like.

Nasal Fractu re

A nasal fracture occurs because of impact to the face from either the
front or the side causing a bone within the nose to break. This is one of
the most common sports related facial injuries for the obvious reason
that the nose is the first point of contact. Bleeding from the nose is
generally instantaneous followed by potential black eyes, deformity
and/or difficulty breathing.

Basketballers are at increased risk of this injury due to the nature of the
game. Luckily, surgery is rarely necessary as pain medication and ice is
often sufficient as well as manual realignment in cases where deformity
has occurred. You will lose some court time with this injury but it is
likely that you will be back in the game within a few months. Although
you may have to wear a face guard for half a year.

Common Basketball Injuries


Common Basketball Injuries
Ankle sprains in basketball
When the foot is forcibly rolled inward or outward, ligaments that
hold the ankle in place can overstretch or tear, resulting in
an ankle sprain.

Ankle Sprain Symptoms Ankle Sprain Treatment

Pain on the overstretched


portion of the ankle  Rest
 Ice
 Swelling
 Compression
 Bruising
 Elevation (for the first 24 to 48
 Tenderness hours post-injury)
 Warmth to the touch

RELATED: How to Wrap an Ankle or Wrist Sprain


Achilles tendonitis in basketball players
Achilles tendonitis is a common overuse injury in basketball, due
to the forces placed on the tendon from jumping and landing.
The Achilles tendon is the fibrous structure that attaches the calf
muscle to the heel of your foot. It allows the calf muscle to pull
your heel off the ground and push forward while walking or
running.

Achilles tendonitis occurs when you don’t stretch your calf


muscles properly.

Achilles Tendonitis Achilles Tendonitis


Symptoms Treatment

 Rest
A dull ache or pain in the back  Ice
of the leg, just below the calf  Non-steroidal anti-
muscle inflammatory medicine, such
as ibuprofen
 Pain that increases after  Orthotics
activity
 Taping to prevent further
 Some diffuse swelling damage
 Rehabilitation

Sever’s disease is another basketball injury related to the


Achilles tendon, where it begins to tear away from the heel.
This type of injury is most prevalent in young basketball
players.
Patellar tendonitis in basketball players
Patellar tendonitis is a common overuse injury in basketball that
affects the tendon connecting the kneecap (patella) to the shin
bone.
The patellar tendon, along with the quadriceps muscle and
tendon, provides the strength for straightening out the knee.

Patellar tendonitis occurs when repeated stress is placed on the


patellar tendon. The stress results in tiny tears in the tendon,
which the body attempts to repair.

But, as the tears in the tendon become more numerous, the body
can’t keep up, causing the inflammation in the tendon to worsen.

Patellar Tendonitis
Patellar Tendonitis Treatment
Symptoms

 Rest
Pain directly over the patellar  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
tendon medicine, such as ibuprofen
 Stretching of the quadriceps,
 Pain with activities, hamstrings, and calf muscles
especially jumping or
kneeling  Ice treatments
 Use of support straps or braces

Muscle strains in basketball players


Muscle strains, or muscle pulls, occur when an athlete stretches
the muscle beyond its normal limit, or when a load is placed on
the muscle and it is not strong enough to counteract. This results
in a strain or tear of the muscle fibers.

A muscle strain can occur in any muscle, and can result from
physical activity without proper stretches and warm-ups
beforehand.
Muscle Strain
Muscle Strain Treatment
Symptoms

Sharp pain in the


muscle  Rest
 Ice
 A popping or  Compression
snapping sound
 Elevation
 Tenderness to the
touch  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
medicine, such as ibuprofen, if
 Swelling necessary
 Discoloration
Muscle strains are diagnosed by:

 Obtaining a thorough history of the injury


 Palpation of the affected area to detect pain and defects in the
muscle
 Strength and flexibility testing
 An MRI (on more serious strains) to determine the extent of the
tear
ACL tears from basketball
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the primary restraint that
limits how far the shin bone (tibia) slides forward in relation to the
thigh bone (femur). When the ACL tears and that restraint no
longer exists, the knee becomes unstable and may unpredictably
buckle or give way.

A common knee injury in basketball, the ACL may suddenly


tear without warning when an individual:
 Decelerates
 Cuts to the side
 Lands awkwardly
ACL Tear
ACL Tear Treatment
Symptoms

Treatment may be surgical or non-surgical,


An audible depending on your desired lifestyle. The
“pop” at the question is not so much your level of activity in
moment of the past, but the expectations for the future.
injury
 Surgical: If your goal is to continue an active
lifestyle, ACL reconstruction surgery may be
 The slippage
the treatment of choice, due to the fact that a
of the knee
torn ACL does not heal.
out of its joint
 Non-surgical:Therapy consists of a period of
 Severe
protective bracing, with progressive return to
swelling
the range of motion and muscle-strengthening
 Painful exercises. The goal is to create natural stability
movement for the knee by developing the quadriceps and
hamstring muscles.

Finger injuries from basketball


Finger injuries range from simple cuts to bone, tendon, or
ligament damage. X-rays may be taken to confirm a fracture.

If not properly treated, finger injuries can lead to deformity and


permanent loss of function.
Finger Injury
Finger Injury Treatment
Symptoms

Pain over the


injury site
 For non-serious injuries, “buddy tapping”
 Inability to move and/or splinting for everyday activities
the finger
 For some finger injuries, surgical repair of
 Bruising the tendons to restore function
 Swelling
 Deformity
For athletes who have experienced sports-related injuries, UPMC
Sports Medicine‘s orthopaedic surgeons, board-certified athletic
trainers, and

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