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| Information Center > Basketball Gear & Injury and Prevention Information |
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Basketball Elbow Pads and Basketball Arm Sleeves:
Small, thin elbow pads worn to decrease damage to elbow, arm and hand joints from impacts and falls. The
McDavid HexPad Power Shooter Arm Sleeve offers both elbow padding and full arm protection from scrapes as well offering compression and warmth.
Basketball Knee Pads:
Padded knee sleeves worn over knee to prevent impact to the knee and falls on the knees.
McDavid is a brand that offers a great selection of knee pads, shin pads and ankle pads using its patented HexPad technology. The
DonJoy Spider Knee Pad has been worn by Shaq and other top pros
Basketball Padded Shorts:
Compression shorts with built-in hip pads, thigh pads and tailbone pads are great for protection from hip injury, thigh injury and tailbone injury.
McDavid Padded Shorts are wildly popular with pros Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and Tracy McGrady.
Basketball Rib Padding:
Padded compression shirts with built-in rib padding are great for protection from sudden impacts to the ribs. The
McDavid HexPad V-Hex Body Shirt is a favorite of NBA Players Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and Tracy McGrady.
Basketball Knee Brace:
Optional braces are a good idea for players who have a history of knee injury. Braces can provide additional support and projection to keep from twisting or tearing ligaments in knee.
DonJoy knee braces provide great relief to Jumper’s Knee and offer ACL protection. You’ll see Yao Ming wearing the
DonJoy Playmaker from time to time.
Basketball Ankle Brace:
Ankle braces can be worn to reduce the risk of ankle turns and sprains, and are an especially good idea for those who have already injured and ankle, and are therefore more likely to repeat the injury. Some of our favorite Basketball Ankle Braces are the
Aircast Ankle Brace – Aircast AirSport Ankle Brace,
Aircast Ankle Brace - Aircast A60 and
DonJoy Stabilizing Ankle Brace.
Basketball Face Protection:
High impact nose guard used during basketball provides face protection and prevents nose injury, eye injury, and cheek bone injury. The
Mueller Nose Guard is really the best choice for nose and face protection for basketball.
Basketball Compression Shorts:
Stabilizes hip and pelvis to reduce the risk of minor injuries to this area. We’re big fans of the
Coreshorts from
Coretection for Basketball.
Shoes:
Shoes which provide proper ankle support and traction are important in basketball. In basketball, the knees and ankles take most of the beating, so proper support in these areas is key. In addition, a basketball court can be slick, so shoes that provide the best grip will help prevent falls and slides.
Although basketball is not generally considered to be a high contact sport, it can still be a high impact sport. Basketball’s main movements are running and jumping, both of which can result in an ankle sprain, knee injury, and leg injury.
Basketball Ankle Injury
Basketball Ankle sprain: An ankle sprain is simply an abnormal stretching of the ligaments surrounding your ankle, or, in severe ankle sprains, a tearing of those ligaments. There are two types of ankle sprains. The first is the inversion sprain, which occurs when the ankle turns so that the foot faces inward toward the other foot. The other type of ankle sprain is the medial ligament sprain, which occurs when the ankle turns so that the foot is facing outward.
Ankle sprains range from first degree to third degree. First degree ankle sprains are mild with some swelling and stiffness. Second degree ankle sprains have some tearing of the ligaments with moderate to severe pain and swelling. Individuals with second degree sprains will have trouble walking. Third degree ankle sprains are a total tear of a ligament. They are generally immediately painful with severe swelling. However, the pain from some third degree ankle sprains goes away after a while, even though the injury remains.
Broken Ankle from Basketball: In addition to ankle sprains, the same types of injuries may cause a broken ankle. With an ankle fracture, a bone has actually been cracked or broken. Many times, a broken ankle will exhibit the same signs as a sprain, and the only way to know whether the injury is a sprain or facture is to have it x-rayed.
Achilles Tendonitis from Basketball: In addition to ankle sprains and broken ankles, Achilles tendonitis is a common injury in all running sports. This occurs when the Achilles tendon, which is the largest tendon in the ankle area, becomes inflamed through overuse or overextension. It is particularly common with over use on a hard surface, such as a basketball court. The symptoms range from ankle stiffness and pain to inability to walk.
Tips to prevent an ankle injury in basketball:
- Warm up and stretch prior to playing or practicing.
- Wear proper footwear. Shoes that don’t fit or are substandard can increase risk of ankle injury.
- Train for ankle flexibility, strength, and balance. By incorporating Achilles tendon stretching and mobility exercises into a workout routine, the ankle keeps a high range of motion. A limited range of motion can increase the chance of an ankle injury.
- Balance is also important, and should be considered in all running and jumping. When an individual lands on one foot, off balance, the likelihood for an ankle sprain is increased.
- Consider wearing an basketball ankle brace when training and playing basketball. A good ankle brace can help keep the ankle from turning, particularly when landing jumps. A few great ankle braces for basketball are the
Aircast Ankle Brace – Aircast AirSport Ankle Brace,
Aircast Ankle Brace - Aircast A60 and
DonJoy Stabilizing Ankle Brace.
Basketball Knee Injury
Patellar Tendonitis: The patellar tendon is what joins the kneecap and the tibia. When performing direction changes (lunges, turns) or jumps, the patellar tendon is put under a great deal of stress. Continued stress of the tendon can result in degeneration and a knee injury condition known as “Jumper’s Knee”. Symptoms of Jumper’s Knee or Patellar Tendonitis include pain in the kneecap, aching after exercise, and calf weakness. Sometimes this knee injury seems minor, but if left untreated, it can result in a more serious knee injury.
Cartilage Knee Injury: The knee has cartilage which absorbs the shocks from running and jumping. However, constant running and jumping, particularly when not precipitated by proper warm up, can result in degeneration and damage to this knee cartilage. Symptoms of a cartilage knee injury include pain when pressing down on knee, pain on the inside of knee, swelling of knee, and inability to obtain full range-of-motion with knee. A severe cartilage knee injury may require surgery.
Torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament): The ACL is one of the primary ligaments that stabilizes the knee. Generally, a torn ACL knee injury occurs when there is a direct blow or when a twisting force is applied to the knee but the foot does not move. Many times, when an ACL is torn, there is an audible pop. A torn ACL is usually immediately painful, but swelling in the knee can be instantaneous or delayed. The knee can remain swollen and tender.
Tips to prevent a knee injury in basketball:
- Warm up properly.
- Strengthen the muscles in the entire leg to prevent loss of stability. A knee injury can be caused when unstable ligaments and muscles are pushed physically. Walking stairs and weight training are good strengthening exercises.
- Stretch consistently and properly to lengthen muscle limits. Many times, injuries occur when muscles which are not often stretched are pushed beyond their limits.
- Wear proper footwear. Shoes that don’t fit or are substandard can increase risk of injury.
- Consider a knee brace during practices and play, particularly if you have a history of knee injury. A knee brace can provide added stability to decrease the chance for abnormal pressure to be applied to the ligaments. The
DonJoy knee brace provides many choices for bracing, so you should be able to find a knee brace that fits your needs.
Basketball Leg Injury
Hamstring Injury: The hamstring is actually a group of three muscles in the upper inside of the leg. These muscles work to move the legs and hips in the correct way when walking, running, and moving. A hamstring injury most commonly occurs when running in quick short bursts, or sprinting. The muscles are extended to the fullest during this type of run, and can often be pushed beyond their capability. Since basketball is a sport which requires constant change in directions and sprinting up and down the court, a hamstring injury can be common.
Shin Splints: While shin splints is not an actual condition, it is a term used in many sports to describe otherwise unspecified pain in the shin area. This pain is often characterized by tenderness, pain which stops at rest and begins again when running, swelling, and redness in the lower front leg.
Tips to prevent leg injuries in basketball:
- Warm up properly.
- Strengthen the muscles in the entire leg. Walking stairs and weight training are good strengthening exercises.
- Wear proper footwear. Shoes that don’t fit or are substandard can increase risk of injury
- Stretch consistently and properly to lengthen muscle limits. Many times, injuries occur when muscles which are not often stretched are pushed beyond their limits.
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