 | Dr. Yost went to college, Graduate School and Medical School at the University of Nebraska and received an MD. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons. He not only treats athletes, but is an athlete as well. His interests are cycling, swimming and running and participates in Triathlons . He also recently became a member of the Kansas AOSSM which stands for American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine! |
Health & Rehabilitation
2012-11-19 11:19:40
Basketball related injuries
Q- Last year my daughter had some sort of a hamstring pull or tear in both of her legs during her 1st week of high school basketball practice. The back of her legs, slightly above her knees turned black & blue. After some rest, she began wrapping her legs and ended up making it through the season. What are the most common basketball related injuries, what are some physical signs of the injury (bruising, pain, etc) and how can they be avoided?
A- The winter season will be here soon and with it comes basketball, and unfortunately, basketball injuries. Basketball is a contact sport that is played on hard surfaces. It requires quick acceleration and deceleration, rapid changes in direction and a great deal of jumping. This is why so many types of injuries may occur.
Most basketball injuries consist of sprains, strains, contusions or fractures. To begin with, let me define those injuries.
• A sprain is an injury to a ligament which is the tissue that holds bone to bone. Sprains may be mild, moderate or severe. They can range from something as simple as a turned ankle to more severe injuries such as a dislocated shoulder or an ACL tear of the knee.
• A strain is an injury to the muscle tendon unit. A tendon is the tissue that attaches the muscle to the bone. A pulled hamstring, a ruptured Achilles tendon and a torn rotator cuff are all examples of strains. These can also be mild, moderate or severe.
• A contusion is a result of blunt trauma with bleeding in the soft tissue, muscle, and if severe enough, bone. Examples include a bruise of the skin, a hematoma in the muscle, or a bone bruise.
• An acute fracture is a break in the bone due to force, and repetitive stress over time can lead to a stress fracture. Most common acute fractures are finger and wrist fractures. These usually result from being struck by a ball or breaking a fall with your arm. Most common stress fractures are due to repetitive loads to the spine, hip, and foot.
The management of basketball injuries is approached in 3 phases: Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment and Rehabilitation. Prevention is the first priority in sports medicine and should begin in the preseason to ensure as safe a program as possible. Training should emphasize three primary areas: strength, flexibility and endurance.
Even when proper training protocols are set in place, injuries can still occur. Remember that initial treatment for injuries should follow the acronym RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) of the injured extremity. Evaluation by a trainer, nurse practitioner, physical therapist, or physician is recommended for any injury that has not improved after 24 hours. Sprains, strains, contusions and fractures resulting from contact sports such as basketball require treatment by individuals well versed in injuries of the musculoskeletal system.
