ACL tears | Derek L. Hill, D.O.

According to Stop Sports Injuries, medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears are the most common knee injuries sustained while playing basketball. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that symptoms of this injury, which is caused by blows to the outside of the knee, include swelling, locking and pain on the inside of the joint.

UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences) states that landing awkwardly after a jump, suddenly changing direction and decelerating while playing basketball can tear the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This injury is characterized by an audible “pop” or slipping of the knee out of its joint.

The Knee Society reports that patella tendinitis can develop after repetitive trauma to the knee while playing basketball. This condition, which affects the tendon that connects the kneecap (patella) to the shin bone, is characterized by pain on the front of the knee which can be worsened by landing after a jump.

PREVENTION

Basketball knee injuries can be prevented by maintaining proper fitness levels through engaging in aerobic conditioning, strength training and agility training since injury rates are higher in athletes who are relatively unfit. Basketball players should therefore ensure that they exercise regularly to develop excellent core control, proprioception, speed, strength, endurance, agility and plyometric skills.

Overuse knee injuries like patella tendinitis, can be prevented by limiting time spent playing basketball and other high impact sports. Taking at least one season off each year can also help prevent them, since it reduces the chances of overtraining and gives the body time to heal.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons states that wearing protective knee pads can also protect the knee from bruises and abrasions. This should be combined with wearing supportive basketball shoes with skid-resistant soles.

Thoroughly warming up before playing any game is another simple way of preventing basketball knee injuries. This should be combined with ensuring that basketball courts are inspected before games to clean slippery spots and clear debris.

Written by: Marian Kim, FizzNiche Staff Writer

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the main stabilizing ligaments of the knee joint. Though ACL tears have been reported in children as young as two years, they are more likely to occur in teenage girls when compared to boys involved in similar sporting activities.

According to Seattle Children’s Hospital, ACL injuries are harder to treat in children due to the presence of epiphyses or growth plates in their leg bones (tibia) and thigh bones (femur). As a result, non-surgical measures are usually used to treat these injuries in order to avoid the leg length inequality and angulatory deformities that may arise if the growth plate is injured.

These non-operative measures usually involve bracing and strengthening exercises. The children are also advised to avoid sporting activities like basketball, volleyball and soccer which involve changing directions suddenly and knee twisting motions.

If these conservative measures fail, surgical options can be considered. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the orthopedic surgeon can modify the traditional ACL surgery technique to reduce the risk of growth plate injury.

These modifications can include placing the tendon graft in a non-anatomic position or wrapping the graft around the bone to avoid drilling holes through the growth plates. These non-standard measures are designed to temporarily control the symptoms until the patient reaches skeletal maturity when a traditional reconstruction can be done.

After the modified ACL reconstruction surgery, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital states that children should be admitted into a rehabilitation program that includes regular physical therapy to help them recover their range of motion, rebuild strength, restore balance and regain confidence in using their knee.

Parents of children with anterior cruciate ligament tears should therefore ask their orthopedic surgeon if the mode of treatment they choose will effect their child’s growth plates and lead to growth abnormalities.

Written by: Marian Kim, FizzNiche Staff Writer

Common Basketball Knee Injuries

PREVENTION

ACL Tears in Children