Basketball is a uniquely American game with an interesting history. A physical education teacher, Lames Naismith, worked at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. He wanted to create an indoor game that children could play in the winter. He nailed a peach basket to the wall and created a game where a soccer ball would be thrown into it. Basketball was born! A set of rules was created, and the first basketball game was played on March 11, 1892. The game quickly became popular among all age groups, especially in colleges. Professional basketball began with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1946.
Basketball has the highest injury rate of any non-contact sport (although some would consider it to be a contact sport). It involves jumping, cutting, running, and quick starts and stops, and it comes as no surprise that the lower extremity is the most commonly injured body part. The most common injuries are ankle injuries; overuse injuries (plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, sesamoiditis, turf toe, and stress fracture); and fractures, especially of the 5th metatarsal.
Ankle injuries are the most common lower extremity injuries in basketball. These account for 22% of injuries but result in 50% of missed playing time. The most common ankle injury is the lateral ankle sprain (inversion sprain), or an overstretching or tearing of the ligaments of the outside of the ankle. This results from landing on the foot with the ankle turned, and occurs most often in rebounding.
Ligaments of the ankle are not the only potentially injured structures. The peroneal tendons course around the lateral ankle, and these can also be injured. Likewise, the ankle bone itself (lateral malleolus) can be fractured.
Ankle injuries always require professional evaluation. This is because treatment will be based on which structures are damaged. X-rays are important for determining this, and often additional imaging techniques such as diagnostic ultrasound, CT and MRI may be needed. Treatment usually involves rest, anti-inflammatory medication, immobilization, and possibly physical therapy. Surgery is not usually necessary, unless the tendon, ligament, or bone require repair.
Many overuse injuries occur in basketball. These include plantar fasciitis (tendinitis of the bottom of the heel and arch); Achilles tendinitis; tendinitis of the posterior tibial tendon (tendon of inside ankle area); sesamoiditis and turf toe (bruising and inflammation of the bottom of the big toe joint);calcaneal apophysitis (heel pain of the sides, bac, or bottom of the heel in children); and stress fractures (incomplete breaks in bones). All of these conditions will require professional diagnosis and treatment. Fortunately, conservative treatment is effective in the majority of cases.
Fractures or breaks of bones are common in basketball, especially the 5th metatarsal base (bone on side of midfoot), often associated with lateral ankle injuries. Pain in this area should always be professionally evaluated , to determine if the injury is an avulsion fracture, which requires casting or a boot, or a Jones fracture, which requires surgery.
Prevention of basketball injuries involves proper shoes (often high-topped); protection of the ankle with taping or ankle bracing; and proper conditioning.
The doctors of Melbourne Podiatry Associates have considerable experience and expertise in the treatment of basketball injuries. Call for your appointment.