' Jumper's knee ', the most disabling injury of basketball
Written by:The Rotuliana Tendinitis , also known as 'Knee of the jumper', is the most invalidating injury suffered by basketball players. This injury consists of an inflammation of the tendinous insertion of the lower pole of the patella. The inflammation of the tendon occurs in an initial phase, and it becomes chronic until it can lead to a degeneration of the collagen and lead to a desestructuración of the tendinous fibers.
It affects both basketball players due to the type of game. During the jumps and due to the continuous Traction-Extension of the patellar tendon , its mechanism of production is succeeded. The pivots are the ones who suffer most from this injury, since they perform repetitive jumps when they go to look for rebounds.
Its symptoms are usually pain and swelling in the lower pole of the patella, and its treatment is clear: it is summarized in the acronym RICE in English (Rest, Ice, Bandage and Elevation). A medical anti-inflammatory and physiotherapy treatment is necessary, as well as the use of a protective knee strap in the knee during the meeting. Surgery is only recommended in rebellious cases.
Other frequent basketball injuries
Depending on the part of the body where they occur, the rest of injuries that affect basketball professionals are:
- Foot : Metatarsalgia, Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Tendinitis
- Ankle : Esgince de Ankle
- Knee : femoro-patellar chondropathy, internal ligament sprain, meniscal lesion
- Arms : Capsulitis of the fingers, Dislocations of thumb and finger, Scaphoid fracture, Shoulder dislocations
- Head : Wounds, Contusions on eyebrows and lips, Fractures of teeth
