Ask the Athletic Trainer
October 20, 2007 - American Basketball Association (ABA) News Release
Answer: A few of the most common injuries in basketball are ankle sprains, tendonitis and plantar fascilitis.
Ankle Sprains - Most ankle sprains occur to the lateral (outside) aspect of the ankle. The severity of these injuries can vary greatly depending on what ligaments are injured and this severity will often determine treatment and length of recovery. Most sprains are in the mild or grade I category and can be treated conservatively with range of motion exercises, proprioception exercises, strengthening, mobility techniques, and protective bracing or taping. With an ankle injury, you must realize that with each sprain it becomes easier to re-injure the joint the next time you stress it. This is why initial, appropriate rehabilitaton is of utmost importance following injury in order to return to sport and to prevent recurrence.
Tendonitis - This is an overuse injury that occurs commonly in the patellar tendon and the achilles tendon. During basketball activity there is a lot of stress placed on these areas of body and if your body is not prepared appropriately for this stress, whether it be due to muscle weakness, muscle imbalance, inflexibility or bio-mechanical dysfunction you will cause undue stress on these tissues and they will become inflamed. Tendonitis may be present with pain over the tendon, redness, swelling and/or increased temperature in the area. You may also notice that once you begin to move and increase your body temperature the pain lessens, but following activity the symptoms may increase again as the rest of your body cools down. Tendonitis should be treated with proper flexibility exercises, strengthening, and imbalance corrections. Ice may be of benefit following activity but this is not a cure, it must be incorporated into an appropriate rehabilitaton program.
Plantar Fascilitis - This is an inflammation of the fibrous band of tissue (fascia) that runs along the plantar aspect of your foot, connecting your calcaneous (heel bone) to the base of your toes. Basketball players are specifically at risk due to the amount of running and high impact activity they put on their feet though. Frequently, individuals that have inflexible a gastroc/soleus complex (calf muscle) are more susceptible to this injury. Also, people with pes planus (flat feet) or pes cavus (high arches) are also more prone to plantar fascilitis. This condition generally starts gradually with pain located at the heel bone and like tendonitis you may be more likely to feel it after exercise as your body cools down. Classically, you will have pain after a period of inactivity, i.e. sitting for long periods or following a night's sleep. A common complaint with this injury is "first step pain." This is sharp pain as an individual puts body weight on the foot for the first time after arising from sleep. Without treatment this may become a chronic condition. You may also develop symptoms of foot, knee, hip and back problems because of the effect plantar fascilitis has on your gait. Treatment should be initiated quickly and should include the following: Rest is the first treatment for plantar fascilitis. Keeping weight off your foot until the inflammation decreases is very important. The use of ice is also important to decrease inflammation and should be applied to the sore area for 15-20 minutes three or four times a day to relieve your symptoms. If seeing a physician, they may also prescribe anti-inflammatory medication. Rehabilitation should also include flexibility exercises and strengthening exercises to increase tissue pliability and restore correct biomechanical function. If you have a question, email Chris Hart at chart@corechicago.or or visit www.abalive.com.
Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.
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