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Treatment and Prevention 

Treatment 

For most non-severe basketball injuries, rest, ice, compression, and elevation improve pain without further steps. If a physician sees it necessary, an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan would be taken to ensure that there are no injuries that would need additional manipulation, such as fractures, ligamentous injuries, or concussions (even though not always visible through scans) [10]. If an injury is detected with further testing, NSAIDS or other medical injections will be administered to help manage pain. For many injuries of high severity, such as complete breaks or tears and ruptures, the only successful treatment plan are operations. The most common surgeries include those of the knee. An ACL injury usually requires a reconstruction, followed by pain medication, a brace, and a prolonged RTP procedure. The Achilles tendon is a commonly ruptured connective tissue, requiring surgical repair and progressive weight bearing. The other knee ligaments, as well as the meniscus, are commonly torn or injured. They can be treated with rest, a supportive brace, and a strict RTP protocol, but more severe tears will require surgical repair [10].  Lastly, knee microfracture or microrupture procedures require medication, rest, and usually a protective brace [9]. Some injuries, like foot and wrist fractures, can be treated by stabilizing the joint with a brace and removing the athlete from play and weight bearing until healed [9]. Lastly, concussion rates in basketball will plummet if players obey the rules more closely and end the current dangerous player-to-player contact, causing injuries. 

Prevention

Players should adhere to a warm-up that includes general and sport-specific components, emphasizing injury-prone areas, to prevent basketball-related injuries by preparing the athletes’ muscles for strenuous exercise [11]. This neuromuscular warm-up should consist of ankle joint mobility and proprioceptive exercises, balance training, agility exercises, stretching, plyometric training, core stability, strength training, dynamic stability, resistance training, and jumping and landing exercises [11]. Apart from an adequate warm-up, ways to prevent injuries in basketball would be to pad the post around the hoop, create helmets to prevent head injuries, and tape and strength-train players’ wrists and ankles to prevent sprains and strains [12]. It has also been proven that shortening sessions for practice with a higher intensity and frequency helps prevent basketball injuries [12]. Coaches should remember that each of their athletes can be predisposed to risk of different injuries and should create practice and prevention plans based on the individualized needs of each player [7]. Ultimately, educating athletes and coaches on common basketball injuries to incorporate these prevention plans can help lower injury rates. Spreading awareness about frequent injuries for athletes can display patterns that will show what areas require improvement for preventative measures. 

Citations

[7] Bolotin, Alexander, and Vladislav Bakayev. “Efficacy of Using Isometric Exercises to Prevent Basketball Injuries.” Journal of Physical Education and Sport, vol. 2016, no. 04, 28 Dec. 2016, https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2016.04188. Accessed 10 Aug. 2024. 

 

​​​[9] Allahabadi, Sachin, et al. “Systematic Review of Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Injuries and Treatment Outcomes in Women’s National Basketball Association and National Basketball Association Players.” Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 9, no. 2, 1 Feb. 2021, p. 232596712098207, https://doi.org/10.1177/2325967120982076. Accessed 19 Sep. 2024.

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[10] Editors. “Basketball Injuries.” Andrews Institute Children’s Health, www.childrens.com/wps/wcm/connect/childrenspublic/53bd9e7d-2fb8-46b1-8578-63a090f1243e/ANDR170915_Andrews+Sports+Safety+Sheets_Basketball+%2813245%29_final.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=mcn9l-X. Accessed 1 Sept. 2024.

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​​[11] Davis, Anna C., et al. “The Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Warmups for Lower Extremity Injury Prevention in Basketball: A Systematic Review.” Sports Medicine - Open, vol. 7, no. 1, 16 Sept. 2021, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-021-00355-1. Accessed 2 Sep. 2024. 

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​​[12] Riva, Dario, et al. “Proprioceptive Training and Injury Prevention in a Professional Menʼs Basketball Team.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 30, no. 2, Feb. 2016, pp. 461–475, https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000001097. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.​​

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