General Injury Discussion

[cockhrnleghrn]

I thought about whether to post this here or in the general forum and decided on here. Does anyone think players playing year round throughout high school and beyond may just be wearing them out and making them more susceptible to injuries? I'm not just talking about you guys, but in general.

 

[Charliebball]

I thought about whether to post this here or in the general forum and decided on here. Does anyone think players playing year round throughout high school and beyond may just be wearing them out and making them more susceptible to injuries? I'm not just talking about you guys, but in general.

it sure doesn't help............also some players are just more injury prone than others............Fudd has been injured to some degree her entire career at UConn even when she's played............her only healthy games have been the games this season and you can sure see the difference in her play..........I'm hoping this injury will be the last one she needs to deal with in her career but I have my doubts......

 

[hoopsfan22]

Maybe he meant high school injuries. Before UConn she hurt her knee.

 

[Charliebball]

are you aware of her injuries when she was in high school?

Azzi Fudd’s injury history hangs over superstar potential - Just Women's Sports

UConn women's basketball - and star sophomore guard Azzi Fudd - have been plagued by injuries over the last several seasons.

justwomenssports.com

 

[Charliebball]

Maybe he meant high school injuries. Before UConn she hurt her knee.

Exactly, plus I believe she missed some games last year and was less than 75% for pretty much her entire freshman season......she only recovered towards the end of this past summer........some players are just more susceptible to injury while others are just damn unlucky.....

 

[Happydad745]

The more aggressive players, like Nika and others, might have tendency to be involved in close tie-ups and stuff, and others just end up at the wrong place/wrong time scenario....

 

[Blond D.]

I think the best thing a young girl/woman (meaning from Jr high thru college) can do is cross train. I played basketball, football, softball , had some martial arts training and ran track. I lifted weights but not REAL heavy ones and I never had a serious injury. I had fingers broke and dislocated plus sprained ankles and sprained wrists but I didnt miss much playing time and I believe thats due to cross training. You have to take a break every now and then but not for long. Off season should be used to get away from basketball but still work on speed and agility.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Good point.

 

[southofnorth]

According to science, yes.

“Risks of early sports specialization include higher rates of injury, increased psychological stress, and quitting sports at a young age.” -National Institutes of Health (NIH) article

“In short, the excessive stress on muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments associated with sports specialization has been linked to a greater risk of overuse injuries.” -Hospital for Special Surgery article

Those were just two quick examples I found, but I’m sure a deep dive would yield more comprehensive info on the subject.

 

[Shenandoah]

I thought about whether to post this here or in the general forum and decided on here. Does anyone think players playing year round throughout high school and beyond may just be wearing them out and making them more susceptible to injuries? I'm not just talking about you guys, but in general.

+1

 

[visitingcock]

I think the best thing a young girl/woman (meaning from Jr high thru college) can do is cross train. I played basketball, football, softball , had some martial arts training and ran track. I lifted weights but not REAL heavy ones and I never had a serious injury. I had fingers broke and dislocated plus sprained ankles and sprained wrists but I didnt miss much playing time and I believe thats due to cross training. You have to take a break every now and then but not for long. Off season should be used to get away from basketball but still work on speed and agility.

I agree about cross training but wonder what sport(s) are best for cross training of basketball players. Particularly regarding knees.

Suggestions? Theories? Studies?

 

[southofnorth]

I agree about cross training but wonder what sport(s) are best for cross training of basketball players. Particularly regarding knees.

Suggestions? Theories? Studies?

Maybe volleyball and soccer? Volleyball involves a lot of the jumping that basketball players need (plus diving on the floor safely) and soccer has a lot of the footwork like side to side, sudden cuts, etc. Maybe endurance sports like swimming since it’s less impact, but uses all the muscles, or cross country because it involves distance running?

 

[Bigboote]

I think the best thing a young girl/woman (meaning from Jr high thru college) can do is cross train. I played basketball, football, softball , had some martial arts training and ran track. I lifted weights but not REAL heavy ones and I never had a serious injury. I had fingers broke and dislocated plus sprained ankles and sprained wrists but I didnt miss much playing time and I believe thats due to cross training. You have to take a break every now and then but not for long. Off season should be used to get away from basketball but still work on speed and agility.

I agree with this, and I'd take it a step further. People weren't built to do the same thing over and over. I had a friend years ago, quite a bit older than me, who pointed out that baseball and football scouts used to just wander through farm country looking for strong kids on farms, and the professional athletes always worked in the offseason. Working on farms, on delivery trucks, at the docks, etc., built natural muscles. (This was the friend who introduced me to women's basketball, so I'm forever grateful to him.)

Like Blond D, I did all sorts of sports when I was younger. Shoulders were my weak spot, so I had to give up pretty much everything -- volleyball, basketball, hand/racquetball, all hard on the shoulders, and football, baseball/softball all may involve sudden shoulder motions. I never injured anything else till I had to keep it pretty much to running. My knees started getting balky and I was in and out of PT for a decade or more. Then I started mixing in more cycling. I was able to stretch out my runs and finished my first marathon at 48. Knees started getting balky again several months ago, and I now have arthritis. I noticed they were worst after cycling, and I cut that out. Knees are 90% better now. So even for one person, the same solution may not work over time. I've gotten a rowing machine now, which has helped immensely. No more marathons, but I'm hoping to keep doing halfs for awhile.

 

[Mrhoops33]

I belive she was also injuried in high school.thats where the first knee injury happened. maybe i'm wrong ?

 

[topogigio]

According to science, yes.

“Risks of early sports specialization include higher rates of injury, increased psychological stress, and quitting sports at a young age.” -National Institutes of Health (NIH) article

“In short, the excessive stress on muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments associated with sports specialization has been linked to a greater risk of overuse injuries.” -Hospital for Special Surgery article

Those were just two quick examples I found, but I’m sure a deep dive would yield more comprehensive info on the subject.

Without a doubt, trust the science and time to get back to multi-sport athletes. This year round specialization, personal coaches and trainers will produce a better skilled athlete in a specific sport, but the shelf life will be definitely affected.

 

[Bill In Georgia]

I found after years and years on the court, that you NEVER stop joint movement ...When you prep for a game you go in loose...but when you came out and sit on the bench/chair our joints and swell and tighten. Then when you go back in , one wrong move and BOOM.. Point is I would never let the team sit on stationary chairs..when you come out you get on a bike and pedal enough to keep warm..Make a big difference....

 

[Charliebball]

that foot injury lasted her entire freshman season and didn't resolve until sometime around the end of this past summer from what I remember reading........add missing a season in a half in high school and now this injury and I think it's fair to say she's been injury prone in her young career......... Azzi Fudd has no bigger fan than me............when she looked less than the player she was reported to be in high school I was her biggest defender knowing she wasn't at 100%............now the naysayers have seen what those who followed her in high school already knew.,........that said, she's had an injury history that's pretty extensive..........hopefully this current issue will be the last that she experiences in her career...........she deserves to be seen at 100% because she's so special a player......

 

[huskeynut]

When in high school and junior high school - yup - I'm that old, I did 3 sports every school year - football, basketball and track. In fact, playing 3 different sports was encouraged. Can't say I never had an injury, because I did, but nothing to seriousness we see today.

I do believe that limiting a child to one sport to specialize in it is bad. The same muscles are always used and never get a chance to rest. Playing year round, IMO, is also unhealthy. You need a break mentally and physically. I'm also not a fan of all this AAU stuff.

 

[GoUconn7961]

I thought about whether to post this here or in the general forum and decided on here. Does anyone think players playing year round throughout high school and beyond may just be wearing them out and making them more susceptible to injuries? I'm not just talking about you guys, but in general.

I have read several articles about this. They state that young athletes are specializing in one sport at very young ages. This means using the same muscles, etc. over and over without variety. They have been encouraging young athletes to do a variety of sports at a young age vs. specializing too young. A variety of sports strengthens the entire body and provides range and mobility of all muscles, tendons and ligaments vs. working the same ones over and over. By specializing too young these athletes entering college are already more vulnerable to injury; especially females.

Obviously genetics has an impact as well as strength training and practices.

 

[maple]

I think the best thing a young girl/woman (meaning from Jr high thru college) can do is cross train. I played basketball, football, softball , had some martial arts training and ran track. I lifted weights but not REAL heavy ones and I never had a serious injury. I had fingers broke and dislocated plus sprained ankles and sprained wrists but I didnt miss much playing time and I believe thats due to cross training. You have to take a break every now and then but not for long. Off season should be used to get away from basketball but still work on speed and agility.

Agreed. I played field hockey, ice hockey, and softball through high school (and only field hockey in college) and while I did suffer an injury my sophomore year in high school (ACL, fielding a ball in softball practice), I never had any other serious issues or re-injured my knee (though I do suffer now from arthritis as 30something ). I agree that sometimes things can just happen, but repetitive sports actions will take their toll on the body eventually.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

I agree about cross training but wonder what sport(s) are best for cross training of basketball players. Particularly regarding knees.

Suggestions? Theories? Studies?

swimming, particularly in the salt water if available. waves are magic. knee/ankle victims should walk in the surf up to their knees.
also magic for rehabilitation.
'grown -ups' today have seriously screwed up their spawn with their 'fear of everything.'
hanging upside down from a tire swing used to be a relatively common thing. good for the knees, balance training, and such.
so has 'play.'
the good news is that many young boys will never stop playing king of the hill on dirt or snow piles. it's innate. great training for 'how to fall.'
practice makes perfect and yields a lifetime of both physical and mental benefit. teaches the knees and ankles, too.

 

[npignatjr]

I agree about cross training but wonder what sport(s) are best for cross training of basketball players. Particularly regarding knees.

Suggestions? Theories? Studies?

Tennis? Good lateral quickness plus almost no chance of collision injuries