Basketball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle

Feet and ankles take a beating in basketball! Injuries can occur from running, jumping, cutting, quick starts and stops, and direct contact with other players. Basketball players should be aware of the following:

• Inversion ankle sprains can damage the ankle ligaments and can also be associated with peroneal tendon injuries, fractures, and chronic ankle instability.
• Overuse and excessive training can lead to heel pain (plantar fasciitis), Achilles tendonitis, sesamoiditis, stress fractures, posterior tibial tendonitis (or PTTD) and calcaneal apophysitis in children and adolescents.
• One of the most common injuries is a Jones fractures, which is a fracture of the fifth metatarsal base. This can be due to the chronic impact of the ballistic activity, running and jumping, as well as the athlete's foot structure.