If you think Rip City when someone mentions Portland, you are likely a basketball player and fan. Basketball is a great sport of endurance and athleticism. Arguably, some of the best athletes play basketball. While basketball is a great team sport for aerobic exercise and fun, it has some injury risks. Below is a list of some common basketball related injuries.
Shoulder
- Separated shoulder: Sometimes a fall onto the shoulder can cause a separation of the joint on top of the shoulder called the acromioclavicular joint
- Tendonitis: Commonly in throwers, the shoulder rotator cuff muscles can become painful and inflamed due to overuse from stabilizing the shoulder joint for throwing related movements. As kids and teens play baseball more months of the year and the volume and intensity of practices and games increase, the risk of shoulder pain and injury increases. With early diagnosis and treatment of this condition, we can help you return back to sport as soon as possible
- Labral tear: Throwing sports put a lot of stress on the shoulder and the labrum can be vulnerable to injury from overuse or from an outstretched arm diving for a ball. We can help you determine of your pain is due to a shoulder labral injury
Elbow
- Tendonitis: Tendons on the outside and inside of the elbow can become painful with gripping activity like gripping a bat or ball
Hand/Wrist
- Sprains (jammed finger): This is a common injury when the ball impacts the finger tip on a pass or contact with another player
- Fractures: falls on the basketball court or even a severely jammed finger can result in a fracture of the and or wrist.
Leg
- Calf strain: These are common injuries in recreational basketball players in their 30s and 40s
- Hamstring strain: Because of the jumping and landing and sprinting of the sport hamstring injuries happen
Knee
- Ligament injuries: There are four knee ligaments that can be injured in sports like baseball and softball and benefit from early assessment and treatment
- Patellofemoral Pain: This is a common cause of knee pain in running sports and teens and benefits from diagnosis and treatment of the underlying contributing factors
- Meniscal tear: The shock absorbing meniscus between the bones of the knee can be vulnerable to twisting and shearing force resulting in a tear.
- Patellar Tendinitis (Jumper’s knee): This is a common cause of anterior knee pain and can be difficult to treat. At Sports Health Northwest, we have some effective and minimally invasive treatment options.
Foot and Ankle
- Achilles tendonitis: Pain in the back of the ankle along the achilles tendon is common in basketball due to the running and jumping activity.
- Achilles tendon rupture: Can occur if the tendon is inflammed and weakened and is an injury seen in ageing baskeball players
- Ankle sprains: Are common in baseball due to the speed and running bases on unstable dirt. Sometimes ankle sprains are more serious injuries like fractures or high ankle sprains benefiting from early diagnosis and treatment
Concussion
- This injury can occur from a collision with another player and results in a transient alteration in brain function. We can help with improving your symptoms and safely returning you to the basketball court.
***If you are suffering from one of these injuries, or any other injury, schedule an appointment with Sports Health Northwest We want to help you get back to sport.
