Basketball Injuries

Basketball is an extremely popular sport, played by young children all the way through the pros. No matter your age or skill level, you deserve expert treatment for basketball injuries. At Henry Ford Health, our sports medicine specialists deliver high-quality care tailored to your unique needs.

Basketball injury causes

Repetitive sprinting, cutting and pivoting cause extensive wear and tear on a basketball player’s ankles and knees. Jumping for rebounds and layups, then landing on the hard court surface, adds additional stress and impact on their joints. Overuse and acute injuries are common.

Shooting, passing and catching the ball puts strain on the shoulders, wrists and hands. Collisions with other players can even lead to traumatic injuries, such as finger fractures or head injuries.

Youth players are at a high risk of growth plate injuries. Since their bones and soft tissues are still developing, these areas are easily damaged. Children or adolescents that only participate in basketball are also at a high risk of overuse injuries since they’re constantly stressing the same muscle groups.

Common basketball injuries we treat

Our sports medicine specialists treat a wide range of basketball injuries, including:

• Ankle sprains
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus tears in the knee
• Calf and hamstring strains
• “Jammed” fingers (sprains in the joints or knuckles of your fingers)
• Osgood-Schlatter disease (overuse injury in the knee that can occur during growth spurts in youth players)
• Patellar tendinitis
• Stress fractures

Basketball injury treatment

Our sports medicine specialists use a variety of techniques to treat basketball injuries, including:

• Low-impact exercise: Our Sports Performance Program features state-of-the-art equipment for low-impact, weight-bearing exercise. An anti-gravity treadmill helps you build endurance and get back to running without putting stress on your joints.
• Therapeutic injections: Viscosupplementation lubricates your knee joint so you can rehabilitate with less pain. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy can help muscle, ligament and tendon tears heal faster.
• Motion analysis: 3D software helps us evaluate your body mechanics as you sprint, jump and shoot. We identify improper techniques or strength imbalances that may be contributing to basketball injuries.
• Cold and compression therapy: We may use special equipment to put gentle pressure on an injured area, alternating compression with intermittent ice therapy. Compression increases blood flow and stimulates healing, while cold reduces inflammation. This therapy helps you recover between workouts or rehabilitation sessions and speeds healing.

Most basketball injuries heal with conservative (nonsurgical) treatments. But if you do need surgery, we offer a range of innovative procedures. Our surgeons excel in minimally invasive techniques that help you recover with less pain and less time away from the game.

Basketball injury prevention

Follow these tips to reduce your risk of basketball injuries:

• Always condition before the season begins.
• Youth players should participate in multiple sports, not just basketball. Adult players can cross-train with strength training and swimming.
• Stay hydrated during practices and games.
• Take time for rest and recovery.
• Warm up and cool down before and after practices, games or workouts.
• Wear mouth guards, supportive shoes and other protective equipment.

Basketball injury care: Why choose Henry Ford?

Highlights of our sports medicine program include:

• Trusted providers: We are the official team physicians for the Detroit Pistons. Our physicians and certified athletic trainers also treat basketball players at many local schools. Amateur and professional athletes receive the same high level of care.
• Minimally invasive treatment options: From Tenex procedures to treat Achilles and Patellar tendons to plasma-rich protein (PRP) injections to treat knee injuries there are options available to reduce procedure time, hasten recovery and increase potential for improved outcomes.
• Prompt, convenient care: Our experts can see most patients within 24 to 48 hours. Multiple clinic locations and rehabilitation centers throughout southeast and south central Michigan make it easy to get care at a time and place that works for you.
• Performance optimization: We help injuries heal, but we also help you improve your overall performance. Experts focus on enhancing your strength, technique and endurance so you return to the basketball court at the top of your game.

Request an appointment

Request an appointment or learn more about our sports medicine services. We offer in-person and virtual visits.

Explore our blogs and videos

Learn more about sports injuries and injury prevention:

• What is the Most Common Injury in Basketball? 
• Preventing Sports Injuries in Your Student Athlete
• Put a Stop to Recurring Injuries