What are the most typical netball injuries?
Netball injuries are more common than you might expect. According to some sources, they happen about 14 times in every 1,000 hours played. In other words, on average, you are likely to be injured once every 70 games.
That’s fine if it is a mild injury, but could really spoil your enjoyment if the injury is more severe. Because it is such a multi-directional sport, a lot of the pressure is on the joints, especially the ankles and knees. The fingers, hands and wrists are also very susceptible to injury.
Netball Injuries
The damage that netball injuries do
Knee injuries can be particularly unpleasant. A lot of injuries to the knee are first-time injuries. Any veteran will tell you that knee problems can plague you for a number of years. Because of the forces that the knee has to endure, the ligaments of the knee are incredibly strong. If they become ruptured or torn, they are likely to keep you out of the game for extended periods of time.
A tear or damage to the meniscus can feel equally as painful, but as serious as it is, probably won’t plague you as badly as ligament damage. Damage to the knee can make you feel particularly unstable and vulnerable. In some cases, a bad knee injury will put a player off returning to the sport altogether.
If you have been fortunate enough NOT to have damaged your knee, then proper rehabilitation is crucial to your longevity in the sport. A qualified osteopath, physiotherapist or sport’s therapist can help you gain and maintain the right muscle balance to help you prevent knee injuries. They can also advise you on appropriate stretching techniques and help to loosen tight muscles.
As much as knee injuries can be treated after the event, it really is worth doing the work to strengthen the muscles around the knee as soon as you can.
The ankles are vulnerable because of the number of times that you land and pivot during a game of netball. The typical injury to the ankle is a sprain. Click here to know if what you have is a Recurrent Ankle Sprain Instability. The extent of the sprain may vary, from just a mild injury with swelling to a full-blown rupture of ligaments.
One of the reasons for both knee and ankle injuries is poor footwear. Make sure you get expert advice on how to find the most appropriate footwear for you. According to Highland, IN car accident attorneys, knee and ankle injuries can be caused by accidents, sometimes on a more severe scale.
What should you do with your netball injuries?
Most importantly make sure that you get any injury proper diagnosed. As with all sports, especially if you are competitive, it is tempting to overlook any niggling problems you may have.
But it is important to always be vigilant. Don’t let your pride stand in the way of getting potential injuries looked at.
For many injuries, the ‘RICE’ protocol is the easiest method to follow. It stands for protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation. A fuller explanation is outlined in this link.
But as I have tried to hint at in this blog, prevention is way better than cure.
We hope this information is useful for you. If you have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Mill Hill Broadway and Islington. If you like this blog, please share! We are always happy to help.
