Injuries are a part of any game. Most games that exist in the world today include injuries ranging from non-fatal to deadly. Basketball is no different. Players often get injured while playing basketball.
Knowing the right measures to cope with an injury can help a player to overcome such obstacles in a short time. Do you know how to cope with an injury in basketball?
Well, injuries are treated in the same way in all sports. First, the player is put to rest, then the injured part gets examined, and according to the injury, the treatment begins.
The most common type of injuries in basketball are:
- Fractures
- Cuts
- Bruises
- Ankle sprains
- Finger injuries
- Knee injuries
- Eye Injuries
How to cope with an injury in a basketball
So, here are some ways on how to cope with an injury in basketball.
Fractures
Fractures are common in basketball games. As playing basketball requires a player to jump a lot to score, most of the fractures occur in the lower body. For such cases, the injured body part should be immobilized for some time. The player can get back to playing once the injured part has fully recovered. In the cases of bone fractures, the fractured part needs to remain plastered until the bone fully heals.
Once there is a fracture, there is not so much to do until it is healed. So, a player should rest properly until he feels fully out of pain.
Cuts
Cuts are a usual part of any game. Whenever a cut occurs, it is better to stop the bleeding as soon as possible. Applying pressure with any clean cloth is advised by doctors. After examining the cut, a doctor can decide whether it requires stitches or not.
In case of cuts, if the cut is not fatal or at a vital place, a player can return to the game after the bleeding stops.
Bruises
Bruises are also common in basketball games as bruises can take place easily while jumping. The bruised area should be treated with ice bags. It will reduce the pain. The bruised place requires rest to heal quickly.
Ankle sprains
Ankle sprains are the most common injury in basketball. An ankle sprain is really painful but not so much fatal for a player. But it needs to be thoroughly examined by a doctor for further procedures. The basic treatment involves treating the ankle with ice to reduce pain. Like other injuries, the injured area should be put to rest. And the player should return to the game after he is fully recovered from the pain. The swelling around the injured area needs further follow-ups. And the full injury should be examined by a physician.
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Finger injuries
Finger injuries often take place because of the basketball hitting the end of a finger. It puts a lot of pressure on a single joint of a finger. Applying ice and resting are the commonly used treatment for this injury. Sometimes buddy taping the injured finger with the adjoined finger can help reduce the pain and can help in better recovery. If the swelling does not decrease, it should be examined by a doctor.
Knee injuries
knee injuries are by far the most serious or fatal injuries in basketball. Such injuries can even end a player’s career for good. Usually, in knee injuries, the ligament gets injured. Applying ice, bracing the injured place are the most common treatments for knee injuries. A serious injury might require surgery to recover.
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Eye injuries
in a basketball game, a player can often get injured in his eyes by other players or by the basketball. Most often, these injuries are not that serious. For treating such injuries applying water and covering the eye with clean gauze can be helpful.
Mental trauma
Apart from these physical injuries, a player might suffer from other non-physical injuries too. Also, after any injury, psychological recovery is much needed. So, whenever an injury occurs, psychological well-being should be kept intact. The player must not lose hope. One should always believe that he is going to make a full recovery in the shortest time possible. A positive mindset can bring out a positive result. So, staying optimistic can be very helpful while someone is going through an injury.
The preventive measures in Basketball
As we all know, prevention is always better than cure. But we can never be too sure about when an accident might happen. So, we should always be ready, and we should take some preventive measures in order to avoid the worst outcomes. For avoiding injuries in a basketball game, one can follow the instructions given below.
- A player should always stay in shape. Even if the player is on vacation or taking a gap from the game, he should always maintain the shape he is most comfortable with. A sudden increase or decrease in body weight can throw the player off balance.
- A basketball player should always drink enough water. Especially if the weather is too hot or too humid, he should be well hydrated accordingly. Lots of fatigue and illnesses come from dehydration.
- To avoid muscle injuries and lots of other stress-related injuries, the habit of over practicing should be avoided. A player should take occasional breaks from the game to achieve maximum growth.
- A player should always follow the coach’s advice.
- Before a season starts, a player should do a full body checkup and should follow the doctor’s advice for a better and injury-free season.
- Pre-workouts and post-workouts should never be skipped.
- And one should always play carefully.
Wrap up
Just like any other game, basketball has its fair share of injuries. By following the proper guideline, one can easily cope up with these injuries even if he faces one or many. And while going through an injury, one should never become mentally weak as it can decrease the rate of recovery for anyone.
So, approaching the situation with a positive mind and following professional advice is the key to cope up with any sort of injuries that can happen from a basketball game. Also, by taking a few precautions, one can easily avoid lots of these injuries.
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