Most common basketball injuries and how to treat and prevent them

Though introduced in the year 1891, basketball has now become one of the most popular sports in the world. At present, there is no country in the world which does not play this wonderful game. The game has also become very popular in the betting world. With the advent of Smartphone and the Internet, the concept of online betting has also become very popular across various nations in the world. People have started betting on all types of sports and basketball is on the top category of it. If you go to a good and reputed Singapore sports guide, you can find many people are earning money by betting on the game of basketball. As a consequence, many basketball players have become superstars in sports and endorse many popular brands.

But to the players it is not an easy game as they often get injured while playing this game. According to medical estimates, around 1.6 million injuries are associated with the game of basketball every year. Let us have a look at what types of injuries mostly happen in the game of basketball to the players every year and discuss how they can be treated with care.

Ankle Sprains

If a player gets ankle sprains injury, then he needs to do an X-ray and depending on the seriousness of the case, medical treatment is advised. For more information on how to prevent and treat ankle sprains in sports, click here.  If the case is serious then he may need compression, application of ice and a lot of rest. The place of application of ice will be guided by the physician as per the location and the severity of the pain. If the swelling takes place on the bone, more evaluation of the case is needed by the doctor. If the ankle sprain occurs to a child basketball player then it must be treated differently, as the ankle is still in a growing stage.

Jammed Fingers

This is a very painful injury and it happens when the ball comes in contact with the finger end and that joint witnesses a huge swelling. Here also ice needs to be applied and the particular finger needs to be buddy taped with the adjacent finger. It provides a huge relief and helps the player to return to the field as soon as possible. If a player is suffering from jammed fingers, then he needs to do an x-ray first in order to identify which particular finger has been affected most.

Knee Injuries

The game of basketball needs massive movement of the knees and extensive pressure on them can put the menisci and ligaments of the knee at high risk. If the knee is injured to a great extent, the player will not be able to play and has to be bed ridden till the time he is fit to play. If the injury is to the outer portion of the knee then it can be treated with bracing, application of ice and gradual rest. Once he recovers, he can return to the field for sports activity.

If the injury takes place in the internal part of the knee affecting the crucial ligaments, then the case may turn out to be very serious. Though the tear of the ligament is considered to be common nowadays among the players, but it is considered to be the end of the season for that player. It needs a corrective surgery and he may return to the field in the next year.

Facial Cuts

The game of basketball needs a lot of jumping and while doing the basket, many players fall on the ground creating a cut or injury on their face. If the cut is less, then application of ice will lessen the injury. If ice is applied in proper quantity, it will give relief to the player as far as relief and decrease of the swelling is concerned. If lot of blood comes out, it can be treated properly and the player may return to the game once that is cured.

Stress Fractures

Some players do over training before any particular important match and there is an increased level of activity noticed. In such cases, it has been seen that stress fractures occur. These types of fractures are mostly found to occur in lower leg, popularly known as tibia and in the foot. Once the fracture has been diagnosed after the X-ray, doctors generally recommend an immobilization period and the patient is advised not to bear any weight. Doctor gives permission of returning to the game once the fracture has totally healed and the athlete comes out of pain. This type of fractures need time to get treated and the player needs to have patience and wait till that time.

How to prevent the basketball injuries?

Before the beginning of the season, get a physical examination done by a doctor and follow the guidelines which he prescribes for prevention of injury in basketball playing.

Having adequate supply of water is very essential to improve the immunity of the body. Hence it is advised to take plenty of water whenever possible. Do not wait to feel thirsty and only after then you take water. This is a bad habit as the body may have developed some complications by that time. If the muscles and the tissues of the body get adequate supply of water, then they can remain stronger for a longer duration of time. So always carry a bottle of water when you go for practice and refill it as and when it gets empty. Basketball is a game which involves a lot of physical activity and hence lot of sweating is expected to take place.

Environment does not remain the same throughout the year and climate changes in different months in different times of the year. Special care is necessary when the weather is too much humid and hot. If you do not take enough water during these times of the year, you may suffer from illness due to excess heat leading to muscle cramp and further injuries.

After a long break post season, come back to play gradually without any hurries as it may lead to many injuries.