7 Tips for Preventing Basketball Injuries

24 Dec 7 Tips for Preventing Basketball Injuries

When everyone else in the world hear the words “winter sports,” they imagine snowboarding, skiing, and sledding. When people in Mississippi hear the words “winter sports,” they only imagine one thing: basketball. With the football season coming to a close, we’re ready channel all our enthusiasm to cheer on our basketball teams. We also want to make sure that they stay safe so we can all have a fun and rewarding season. To ensure this we need to make sure we take every measure to help prevent injuries on the court.

Maintain Proper Fitness
Injuries are more likely to occur when athletes are not physically prepared. If your athletes have gotten out of shape during the off seasons, have them gradually increase their activity level so they can slowly build themselves back up.

Stay hydrated
Even being a little bit dehydrated can hurt an athlete’s performance. A good way to make sure players stays hydrated is to have them drink about 16 oz of water right before practice and then have them take a water break every 20 minutes. Prevention is key. If players waits until they get thirsty to drink water, they’re probably already dehydrated.

Wear Proper Gear
Basketball is a high contact sport and most injuries happen in the ankles and knees. Wearing the proper gear can help prevent these injuries. Make sure players have nonskid basketball shoes that fit snugly and have support. Wearing ankle supports can also help reduce the chances of sprains.

Warm Up and Stretch
Warming up before any strenuous physical activity is imperative for preventing injuries. Starting a practice or a game with cold muscles could lead to muscle tears. Ten minutes of cardio will ensure that your players’ muscles are receiving enough blood and nutrients. Stretching can increase their range of motion and and increase their performance on the court.

Play Only One Position
Don’t let an overzealous athlete try to play the entire game by himself. Not only would he bereave the rest of the team of a fun game, he could put them at risk. Everyone knowing where everyone else is suppose to be on the court can help prevent trips, falls ,and collisions.

Avoid Overuse Injuries
Overuse injuries happen gradually when players don’t have time to heal from between practices. Avoid over training and have your student take at least one day off each week. Limit the number of teams your athlete is on at one time, but encourage him not to play the same sport all year round.

Return Only When Fully Recovered
If an athlete has sustained an injury, he should not be allowed back on the court until his symptoms are completely gone. For example, he obviously should not be allowed to play if he has pain or swelling from a rolled ankle, but he is not fully recovered until he has regained his full range of motion and normal strength.

We want our athletes to have fun, but we also want them to be safe. By working together and working with our athletes, we can help ensure a safe and injury free season. If you notice that your athlete exhibits any persisting symptoms that keeps him from playing, consult a physician or a physical therapist.