With the winter netball season having come to a close, we hope your knees are ok! Knee injuries are the most common injuries in netball and it mainly involves the soft tissues in the joint. Many leave the game after devastating knee injuries like an ACL tear and so it is important to consider how we can best prevent knee injuries. Here are 2 things you can be doing in the off-season and during the summer season to keep your knees strong to give you the best chance to stay on the court.
1. Hit the weights!
Studies have shown that strong legs give you a better chance of preventing knee injuries. After having months off due to COVID-19, it is likely that you might be deconditioned and there is a chance you have developed some weaknesses or detrimental movement patterns. Start strengthening your lower limbs by adding some exercises such as squats, lunges, deadlifts into your weekly exercise regimen. If you are new to strength exercises or haven’t participated in any strength exercises for a while, ease into it with a focus on good technique!
2. Improve your dynamic balance and give plyometric training a go!
Netball is a high-intensity sport with plenty of sharp, sudden cutting, running and jumping. It is therefore important to condition our knees to respond well in these scenarios and to do so in a controlled and safe environment. Studies have shown that Dynamic balance and plyometric training can reduce the risk of knee injuries while also improving athletic performance. Dynamic balance exercise involves testing your balance on unstable surfaces or in motion. Invest in a wobble board, dura disc or foam mats if you have them! Plyometric exercises are high intensity exercises which improve power by conditioning the muscles for maximal force production over short periods of time. Plyometric exercises such as box jumps, tuck jumps, squat jumps, one legged hop jumps are a good start! Start slow and within your comfort range while focusing on good technique.
If you would like expert advice on injury prevention or improving athletic performance, our lovely exercise physiologists at PROHEALTH FITNESS would love to help you out! Give us a call on 8317 7777 if you would like more information
References:
Read Time: 5 minutes
Joseph, C., Naughton, G., & Antcliff, A. (2019). Australian netball injuries in 2016: An overview of insurance data. Journal of science and medicine in sport, 22(12), 1304–1308.