While chilly winters can be party poopers for outdoor fun, indoor sports can more than compensate with their gaming spirit. Basketball is one such indoor sport where one need not compromise on the fun in the least.
Two teams compete in taking charge of an orange ball across a rectangular court and shooting it through the opponent’s basket to net goals. The basket is a narrow net suspended from a circular hoop placed ten feet above the ground against a backboard; one in each of the team’s courts. Goals add up to points and points to a winning game. No more than 5 players from each team may be present on the court at a time and unlimited substitutions can be made. Clad in jersey and shorts, taller players are preferred for the game but precision of netting the ball from a distance is the most requisite skill. The ball can be dribbled across the court to reach the opponent’s basket while their players defend the goal by trying to take charge of the basketball from the oncoming player.
The players often tend to get aggressive while attempting to defend a goal and injuries are not rare. Since force is used to net goals, jammed fingers are frequent. Ranging from a ligament pull to a muscle rupture to a fractured finger, traumatic injuries need to be attended immediately. Another traumatic injury is an ankle or knee sprain due to an accidental twisting motion at the joint. This can be excruciating and lead to a red, swollen and tender joint. Immobilisation with a splint/brace and ice pack fomentation are good first aid measures to start off with till you can see a qualified orthopedic sports-specialist surgeon.
Whether you are playing for fun, for your high school championship or are an NBA leaguer, you cannot escape overuse leading to an injury. Often referred to as Jumper’s knee, patellar tendinitis is pain right below the knee. Often due to repetitive pull on the tendon there, patellar tendinitis is one of the most common injuries encountered in basketball. Other frequent overuse maladies include a shorn Achilles’ tendon behind the heel or a damaged muscular cuff surrounding the shoulder joint.
A good orthopedic surgeon on your team will help defend you from injury. In many cases, you will be shooting baskets again in no time!
Penned by Dr. Rachita Narsaria, M.D.
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