Your Volleyball Injury Prevention Guide
Although volleyball is a non-contact sport, it鈥檚 physically demanding and can put stress on several different parts of the body. It requires quick multi-directional movements, frequent jumping and landing, and repetitive motions. This makes it a fast-paced, high-impact sport with many common injuries.
While it鈥檚 impossible to prevent every injury from happening, understanding which body parts are most at risk can help keep you on the court.
Common Injuries on the Court
Volleyball players are at risk for both overuse injuries from repetitive movements and acute injuries, which occur suddenly.
鈥淎bout 34% of injuries in volleyball involve the upper extremities, including the shoulder, and injuries of the wrist, hand, or finger,鈥 says Joy English, MD, a sports medicine physician at 人妻中出视频 of Utah 人妻中出视频. 鈥淎bout 40% of injuries affect the lower extremities, like ankle sprains and knee injuries.鈥
Whether you鈥檙e on a competitive team or just play recreationally, the following injuries are prominent in volleyball:
1. Ankle Injuries
Due to frequent jumping and landing, ankle injuries鈥攑articularly sprains鈥攁re one of the most common acute injuries in volleyball. An awkward landing is enough to sideline an athlete with an ankle sprain or even a fracture.
2. Shoulder Injuries
Repetitive overhead motions, like serving or spiking, can result in shoulder injuries such as:
- Tendinitis
- Shoulder strains
- Rotator cuff tears
- Shoulder impingement
- Shoulder sprains
- Labrum tears
- Shoulder dislocation
- Scapular Dyskinesis Syndrome (where the scapula has moved into an abnormal position, causing pain)
3. Knee Injuries
Frequent jumping and landing can also put a lot of stress on the knees. The patellar tendon connects the kneecap to the shinbone, and the amount of jumping required in volleyball can irritate this tendon, resulting in a condition called patellar tendinitis, sometimes nicknamed 鈥渏umper鈥檚 knee.鈥
4. Hand Injuries
Volleyball requires hand-to-ball contact. Acute injuries to the hands or fingers are especially common in defensive plays, such as digging or blocking. Sprains and fractures of the wrists or fingers and finger dislocation are all common volleyball injuries.
5.聽Head and Back Injuries
Back muscle strains and disc injuries can happen due to an unengaged core or frequent twisting movements when diving, serving, or spiking. These movements can put significant stress on the lumbar spine, causing lower back pain.
Although concussions are less common in volleyball than in sports like football or soccer, they can still happen, especially when digging or for players in the .
Keys to Injury Prevention
In a fast-paced sport like volleyball, injuries are bound to happen. However, taking the time to incorporate the following prevention strategies can keep you healthy or shorten recovery time:
1. Warm-up and Cool Down: You should always take the time to properly warm up your body before any physical activity. Dynamic stretches and light cardio will help raise your heart rate and pump more blood to your muscles. This improves your range of motion and elasticity of the muscles, which can prevent injuries like sprains or strains.
Cool down after with about 10 minutes of light cardio and static stretching. Gradually lowering your heart rate can prevent dizziness, and static stretches will reduce soreness and aid in muscle repair.
2. Learn Proper Technique: To prevent injuries, work with a coach to ensure you are using and maintaining proper technique during powerful movements such as serving, spiking, and diving. This is especially important for younger players and those who are new to the game.
3. Make Time for Strength Training: We all know that strength training makes your muscles stronger, but it also delivers the following benefits:
- Improves bone density
- Strengthens joints and connective tissues
- Improves balance and coordination
- Quickens recovery time when you do get injured
鈥淧roper strength training helps reduce joint stress and prevents overuse injuries,鈥 Joy explains. 鈥淏ut it can also help to balance out any imbalances that occur from playing a sport predisposed to asymmetries, like athletes serving or swinging with their dominant arm.鈥
4. Utilize Protective Gear: Make sure you are wearing proper footwear for volleyball. Volleyball shoes are specifically designed for the quick, multi-directional movements in the sport. Knee pads and elbow pads can prevent bruising or abrasions when diving. If you鈥檝e had a previous injury, be sure to wear gear that can protect it from getting reinjured, such as ankle braces or finger tape.
鈥淢ultiple studies show that wearing ankle braces significantly reduces the incidence of ankle sprains, especially in players with a history of previous sprains, without affecting performance,鈥 English says.
5. Take Rest Days: Recovery days are just as important as your workouts, regardless if you鈥檙e injured or not. If you have soreness or pain, follow the RICE technique:
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression
- Elevation
If you do experience pain or discomfort, don鈥檛 ignore it.
鈥淎t the first sign of discomfort, speak with a trusted individual like a coach, athletic trainer, or parent,鈥 English says. 鈥淚f the pain doesn鈥檛 improve or resolve, seek out expert care through your primary care physician or sports medicine provider.鈥
