Common Basketball Injuries

At Goldsmith Podiatry, with March Madness coming up, we thought it would be a good time to focus on some of the podiatric problems associated with the sport. Basketball can be hard on your feet and ankles. Whether you’re a college player, professional, or just enjoy the occasional pickup game, the areas of strain are the same. Below are some common foot and ankle injuries from basketball and what to do about them.

Ankle Sprains—quick changes in direction, collisions with other players, and landing the wrong way after a jump shot can all result in an overextension of the ligaments of your ankles, more commonly known as a sprain. Sprains are rated according to their severity, and your treatment and recovery time will depend on whether the ligaments are overstretched or partially or fully torn. The most important thing you can do for an ankle sprain is to complete the full course of rehabilitation and allow it to heal fully. Failure to do so can lead to chronically weak ankles that will impact your life on and off the court.

Avulsion Fracture—often occurring with an ankle sprain, an avulsion fracture happens when a small piece of bone is torn off by a ligament or tendon when it gets overstretched. Similar to an ankle sprain, avulsion fractures require ice, rest, and eventually exercises to restore full function.

Plantar Fasciitis—the repetitive motion of running up and down the basketball court can inflame the plantar fascia, a long band of tissue that connects your heel to your toes. When this occurs, a player may experience severe arch and/or heel pain. Icing will help the pain and stretches along with sports shoes with adequate arch support should help reduce inflammation.

Achilles Tendonitis—jumping and running—two of the most frequent movements associated with basketball—are often the source of injury to this long, strong tendon that runs down the back of your leg and connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. Rest, along with calf stretches and muscle-strengthening exercises can help. Ignoring the pain can lead to a season-ending rupture.

With any sports injury, it’s critical that you get pain evaluated as soon after an injury as possible: our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith or Dr. Rosanna Troia will examine your foot or ankle and determine the extent of the injury and the proper treatment. Contact our Upper West Side Manhattan office for an appointment promptly by calling: (212) 877-1002.