How Does Basketball Affect My Feet?
How Does Basketball Affect My Feet?
March 30, 2021 sydneypodiatry Leave a comment
There are many youngsters in Castle Hill fascinated in basketball, with some hoping to end up playing for the NBA. With that, kudos to you. Put in the work, and you’re sure to score the basket at the finals. However, the sport itself is physically and mentally demanding and can affect your feet and ankles. There are a number of running, cutting, jumping, shooting, jump shots and other movement variations that come directly into contact with a hard floor that poses a threat to your feet and ankles due to the pressure.
Podiatry and specialists in the field have a few tips for basketball enthusiasts and pros to help you keep free from pain on and off the court.
Note: Podiatry is a medical discipline that specialises in treating feet and ankle issues in not just sportspeople but the general population with feet and ankle pain.
Game On
Every basketball player knows that the correct equipment and preparation is the best way to avoid or reduce risks of injuries. However, in this game, injuries and pain are never too far apart. Many basketball players are commonly affected by these two distinct injuries:
An abrupt and forceful movement causes acute Injuries. When an ankle is sprained, these are found, experiencing a torn ligament, muscle pull or tendon ruptures, and a fracture.
Chronic Injuries are a result of slowly developing and aggravated injuries over an extended period of time. These are usually caused by lack or inadequate warm-ups, improper footwear, ill-fitting shoes, inadequate conditioning, or biomechanical abnormalities causing undue stress on feet, ankles or the leg.
Preventing Basketball Injuries
There’s no hiding the fact that some injuries are bound to happen, whether in a mid-air collision, during an erratic lunge for that rebound, or while scrambling after a loose ball. Seeing a podiatry medical practitioner or adhering to injury rehabilitation can help improve conditioning.
One of the best things you will ever do for yourself is to follow the instructions given to you by your coach in the beginning: perform stretching exercises with activity-associated warm-ups, and practising core stability improvements will minimise the impact of chronic injuries.
Speaking to a podiatry professional about feet and ankle pains, your profession and the need for proper basketball shoes will help as you can get custom orthotics, musculoskeletal devices that help promote function, as well as helping with good grip and ankle support.
Your podiatrist can get you these specially constructed shoe devices inserted in your basketball shoes to support ground reaction forces by redistributing your body’s weight evenly on your feet, ankles and legs. This will help realign your muscular movement in areas around your knees and pelvis to reduce pain and improve your function and performance.
If you suffer from feet and/or ankle pain and need podiatry services in Castle Hill, get in touch with our experts at Free your Feet Podiatry so that you can get back on the court in no time.