Common Netball Injuries
Due to the amount of netball injuries presented in the clinic over the last month this blog will focus on the common injuries surrounding netball, treatment advice alongside injury prevention strategies to reduce risk of injury.
Sports Injuries are inevitable we’ve all had them and all been through the same process, whether that be putting a bag of frozen peas on the area or sitting in A&E for hours on end. However, during and after your injury did you carry out any training to rehabilitate and strengthen your injured area? If not did you injure the same joint again within weeks or months or has it felt the same since?
It’s a fact that 90% of patients when prescribed rehabilitation exercises fail to carry them out meaning their injury could only get worse stay the same or get better slowly. Evidently your body naturally helps with the process of healing but your body cannot train your balance, movement or strength around your injured area; that’s up to you!
Netball requires fast movements, changes of directions and lots of jumping, throwing and catching. Nevertheless, being physically fit and healthy isn’t enough to compensate sports injuries and netball players should follow a thorough warm-up before every session, practice safe and correct jumping and landing techniques regularly and always finish with a sufficient cool down. Incorporating these into a weekly training session can reduce risk of injury; increase skill, technique and game readiness for each player.
Due to these requirements of netball the most commonly injured joints are the ankle, knee, shoulder and fingers, normally occurring through jumping, landing, falling, catching or colliding with an opponent. Each commonly injured area has a specific injury associated to it within netball; now each common injury will be explained then followed by treatment protocols and injury preventions.
Ankle Sprains
The ankle is the most commonly injured site in netball with ankle sprains being the most common type of injury followed by a fracture. Ankle sprains normally affect ligaments and are commonly caused by rolling the ankle inwards, which consequently causes pain, bruising and for the ankle to swell almost instantaneously. It is important to follow a step-by-step treatment protocol followed by a rehabilitation program to help reduce risk of re-injury and a to athlete ease themselves back into netball specific movements.
Jumpers knee or Patellar tendonitis
Patellar tendonitis or jumpers knee is an overuse injury to the tendon connecting the patella (knee cap) to the tibia (shin) and is caused from repeated running or jumping. Pain presents just under the knee cap and may occur after sport in first instances but could start to interfere during a game or daily movements if left alone, the area will swell and be tender to touch. The key is to catch this problem as early as possible and not let the symptoms worsen, rest is the initial treatment method followed by the immediate treatment protocol presented later in this blog.
Hamstring Strain
Hamstring strains normally cause a sharp pain at the back of the thigh and can range from grades 1-3 depending on the severity of the pull/strain. This can happen during running, changing direction or stretching too far for the ball, if a hamstring strain is suspected then you should come straight off the pitch and follow the immediate treatment protocol below as playing on with a hamstring strain can worsen the injury.
Finger/Thumb strain, fracture and/or dislocation
Due to netball being primarily a throw and catch sport finger and thumb strains, fractures and dislocations are fairly common alike basketball. They are normally caused by the finger/thumb being bent or knocked past their natural position or the ball being struck to an extended finger. This causes the finger/thumb to fracture or dislocate, symptoms include pain, swelling or displacement at the joint. If a dislocation is suspected it is important a medical professional relocates the finger to make sure no further damage is sustained.
Rotator Cuff strain
The most common injury in netball around the shoulder are rotator cuff strains; these are caused by overstretching or throwing the ball and like the hamstring range from grades 1-3. If a rotator cuff injury is suspected it will cause a sharp pain around the shoulder and will be uncomfortable during passing and shooting. Leave the field to reduce risk of further injury and carry out the immediate treatment protocol.
Immediate Treatment Protocol
Following any of the above injuries the POLICE protocol should be incorporated immediately, which consists of:
- Protection
- Protect area from further injury
- Optimal Loading
- Don’t completely rest the area try to weight bare when possible
- Ice
- Use ice for 30 minutes 3 times a day to reduce any swelling or bruising from the area
- Compression
- Compressing the area with ice will help in the reduction of swelling
- Elevation
- Alongside ice and compression making sure the area is above heart level will help reduce any swelling or bruising
Once swelling and bruising has diminished and sufficient range of movement is restored depending on the injured area a rehabilitation program should be followed to reduce stiffness and pain and increase balance, coordination and strength. An injury healing process can last from 4-8 weeks, but before returning to play an athlete should be able to take part in a full training session with no pain or discomfort around the injured area. Braces and supports can be bought and worn for ankle sprains and shoulder strains, these can reduce risk of injury and make an athlete feel much more comfortable with their injury during games and training.
Seeking medical advice
If any of the following symptoms are experienced 48 hours after the original injury mechanism medical attention is advised.
- Unable to complete everyday normal activities
- Getting up for work, walking round the house etc.
- Altered sensation
- Numbness or pins and needles in an area
- Severe swelling
- Which hasn’t reduced with the use of POLICE
- Severe pain
- Which hasn’t reduced with the use of POLICE
- Severe reduced range of motion
- Struggling to carry out normal movements around the injured area
If you are unsure or have any questions regarding your injury then please don’t hesitate to contact us with the contact details provided at the bottom of the page.
Injury Prevention
Injury prevention strategies are used across all sports at all levels with the goal being to reduce risk of injury and improve movement and skill techniques related to the sport. The first step within any strategy is to make sure all players make it to at least one training session a week as physical fitness and sport readiness is a key factor in injury risk during matches. Following that it is important both a thorough warm-up and cool-down is performed before and after every game/training session to make sure each athlete’s mind and body is ready for their session. Rest is also an important key factor, as everyone needs rest, fatigue is one of the main non-contact causes of injury in sport so it is important each player is well rested and ready for any match or training session.
If you or any of your teammates have suffered or are suffering from the above injuries and are in need of treatment or a sufficient rehabilitation program then please contact SPS Premier Sports Therapy today, at SPS Premier Sports Therapy we make it our priority to get our patients back to their sport as fast as possible.
SPS Premier Sports Therapy
spspremiersportstherapy@gmail.com
07482566259