In the sand, American’s have dominated beach volleyball since its official inclusion in the Summer Games of ‘96. While an infant compared to its indoor counterpart, beach volleyball may be considered the more popular of the two . . . for obvious reasons!
Whether serving, setting or blocking the ball, these athletes make good use of the upper extremities. Add high jumps, low scrambles, and quick, powerful moves and their bodies engage almost every muscle. Unfortunately, these body parts are prone to injury.
Jess Keiser, a physical therapist and our resident volleyball ATI Injury Analyst, offers this information on common volleyball injures, plus some tips on prevention and rehabilitation.
What injuries are common…
- Rotator Cuff Tendinitis: During serving and spiking, the rotator cuff muscles are needed to generate the power necessary to move the shoulder. Often, rest and physical therapy services may be enough to resolve pain.
- Ankle Sprains: This injury is the most common because of the constant jumping and moving, and is responsible for the most lost playing time. Ankle sprains generally need daily rehabilitation exercises to decrease the risk of re-injury.
- Patellar Tendinitis: This inflammation of the tendon that connects the kneecap to the tibia is caused by repetitive, jumping activities. Physical therapy and athletic training services focused on stretching and strengthening are often used.
- Finger Injures: Fingers are vulnerable to injury during blocking, setting, and digging. If you are unable to bend the finger, consult with your physician or athletic trainer.
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury: This injury occurs when a player lands awkwardly after jumping. There are techniques that may decrease the risk of ACL injury in jumping athletes, especially females. Speak with a qualified physician or athletic trainer for these techniques.
- Low Back Pain: Muscle or ligament strains are usually the culprits here. Pain usually resolves with rest, physical therapy and athletic training services. If it persists for more than a month, or is accompanied by pain when bending backward, radiates down the legs, with numbness or weakness, consult a physician.
Prevention
Jess knows first hand how hard it can be for athletes to be sidelined because of injury. Here are some tips that can help keep athletes in the game:
- Stretch: Be sure to warm-up muscles with stretching prior to activity. Cold muscles do not absorb shock as well and are more susceptible to injury.
- Strength training: Use proper strength training techniques for the lower back, arms, shoulders, legs and core.
- Protect your ankle: Use an external ankle support, such as an ankle brace or taping, to prevent the ankle from rolling over, especially if you have had a prior sprain.
- Relieve the pressure: Minimize the amount of jump training on hard surfaces.
- Cool down: Be sure to cool down after practice.