6 ways to prevent basketball injuries

Here are 6 ways to prevent basketball injuries:

1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT BASKETBALL FOOTWEAR -

Basketball Injuries

Wearing a good pair of shoes which helps provide stability to the foot while playing basketball is essential. A good pair of shoes should be tight enough to support your midfoot, control you heel, distribute the weight effectively, help with shock absorption, provide enough space for your toes to hyperextend. If the shoes are not providing enough support or are worn out, chances of an ankle sprain, calf muscle or tendon strain are high; besides, maintaining balance during your passes will also be compromised. Also, a good insole is required which helps maintaining your arches. If your feet are flat then a special insole which controls the arches and heel position may prevent injuries like plantar fasciitis, hallux rigidus, ankle sprain and achilles tendinitis from occurring.

2. A PROPER WARMUP PROTOCOL: MAKE YOUR WARMUP DYNAMIC, NOT STATIC

A warmup protocol is essential to loosen up the body. However, performing only stretches (static warm up) may not be enough. Adding dynamic stretches will not only improve body flexibility but also, movements similar to what may be required in the game will help you prepare your mind for the game. That said, it is necessary to perform static stretches before the dynamic ones.

3. A COOL DOWN PROTOCOL

Most doctors and coaches emphasize on a cool down protocol to prevent post exercise muscle soreness, improve core muscle strength and maintain performance for the next day game.

A cool down should include all your static stretches. When you’re training, a cool down should include your core muscle exercises. These include side planks, iron man, Nordic hamstring exercises, one legged or 2 legged squats. All these exercises when performed with cool down increase/maintain the muscle performance over a period of time.

4. HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOUR OVER-TRAINING?

As it is often said, only you can judge your body’s capacity; a coach or a trainer is only to guide you to better performance. That’s why it’s necessary to know when you’ve gone beyond your limits. Symptoms like post training muscle soreness, sleep deprivation, overuse injuries, deterioration in performance, constant irritation, or depressed mood, body remaining stiff even after adequate rest – all of these point to the fact that you need to go a little slow. However, inefficient training due to excessive partying or other social/personal activities should not be confused with over-training.

5. APPROPRIATE DIET

A well balanced diet can improve or enhance your performance, and an inappropriate diet can adversely affect your performance. Inappropriate diet will cause early fatigue leading to overuse injuries. Pre-game diet should be light and should contain more of carbohydrates. Rehydrating during and after the game helps prevent electrolyte imbalance and may prevent cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke in extreme weather. Artificial fruit juice or high energy drinks, however, are not the best options. Some athletes use a carbohydrate loading diet to enhance performance during the game.

6. BODY MECHANICS

It is very important to understand that a correct body position can prevent injuries. For example, while landing from a jump, let’s say the knees are not slightly bent or the knees are bent inwards while landing or the player lands on one foot – all of these are factors that will cause injury. Also, improper support to the injured part while playing can affect performance.