Common Injuries in Volleyball. Approximately 50-80% of volleyball injuries occur from overuse Injury Statistics.

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1 Edgar 1 Kayley Edgar Mrs. Jackson Advanced Lit. /Comp 1 11 December 2013 Common Injuries in Volleyball Approximately 50-80% of volleyball injuries occur from overuse Injury Statistics. Volleyball is one of the top sports where players endure the most injuries because of the quick reflexes and complex movements involved with volleyball. Injuries occur to athlete s shoulders, knees, fingers, ankles, and backs. These injuries can be prevented by taking certain measures, such as using proper techniques while playing and by the aid of braces and tape such as kinesiology tape. Treatment for these injuries differs from resting to surgery. The four most common volleyball injuries are specifically ankle sprains, ACL tears, concussions, and assorted shoulder injuries; treatment and prevention for these injuries differ according to the player s and the doctor s inclinations. More injuries take place in volleyball from jumping than in any other area in the sport 60% of volleyball injuries are related to the ankle Injury statistics. Ankle injuries are the most common injury that occurs from jumping. The reasoning behind this is because female athletes are more prone to injuries because of their physical anatomy. Michael Lasalandra says that women experience more injuries because of the so called Female Athlete Triad : This involves a combination of decreased energy availability due to disordered eating (such as not obtaining the right amount of calories compared to what is expended), bone loss, and menstrual disturbances that can interfere with health and performance. Treatment for ankle injuries can differ depending on the doctor s preference. Ankle sprains usually do not require surgery but do,

2 Edgar 2 however, require long periods of rest and usually 2-6 weeks with physical therapy for rehabilitation. After the player has rested and gone through physical therapy, the player may return to playing when the athlete feels no pain while bearing all weight on the injured ankle (Lasandra). The athlete may also start to wear ankle braces to prevent future injuries. Overall, to prevent ankle injuries the player must ensure that she follows correct techniques for jumping and landing as well as having a comprehensive warm-up and stretch before playing. Since volleyball is a game of quick reactions, one of the most severe injuries that can occur in volleyball is tearing the ACL or Anterior Cruciate Ligament. The ACL is located in the middle of the knee joint. It connects the lower leg bone to the thigh bone. It stabilizes the knee and prevents the lower leg bone from sliding too far forward at the knee (Lasalandra). An athlete will sustain an ACL injury if they receive a hard blow to the knee or if the player lands incorrectly while jumping. Since volleyball is a non-contact sport, most ACL injuries happen from jumping. Treatment for an ACL injury can differ according to the severity of the injury. However, an ACL injury automatically requires surgery because the ligament will not heal naturally, unlike other ligaments in the knee such as the MCL. For the surgery to take place, the player must be able to bend the knee 90 degrees so the surgeons can operate. After the surgery the athlete must take physical therapy for about 8 weeks. After physical therapy the athlete may return playing after about 6-8 months of rest and they must also wear a knee brace that supports the ligaments. The brace has hinges to support both sides of the knee. Due to the anatomy of females they are more vulnerable than man to injuries. Women are five times more likely than men to suffer ACL tears Physio Room. Women have a higher chance to sustain these injuries because of how they are anatomically structured. Women's bodies are more lax or flexible than men's. Women have wider pelvises than men and less developed musculature. These factors

3 Edgar 3 affect the alignment, strength, and movement of women's extremities (Gallo). According to studies, women s hormones, like estrogen, make women more vulnerable because their muscles and bones are weaker. To prevent ACL tears, players must ensure to use correct techniques when jumping and landing as well as having a training regimen that focuses on all muscle groups and not just the ones that are used to play the sport. Another injury that occurs frequently is concussions. A concussion is a very serious injury because brain damage is present. Every 15 seconds, someone in the United States has a brain injury (Shannon 108). Most of the time volleyball players experience concussions when they dive for an out of reach ball and hit their head on the court. Coaches should be trained on the signs and symptoms of a concussion because if a concussion is predicted medical treatment should be sought immediately. Signs and symptoms include feeling dazed, memory loss, nausea, headaches, and blurred vision. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), almost 1.5 million brain injuries are reported every year in the United States (Shannon 109). The doctor may order a CT scan or an MRI and caution the athlete to avoid loud noises and bright lights. Most athletes return to playing within 2 to 3 weeks. To prevent further concussions, a volleyball player must ensure to use proper techniques when diving on the floor and digging a ball. Specifically, when diving for a ball, athletes must avoid hitting their head on the wood court by tucking in heads and arms. Coaches also should be trained on the warning signs of a concussion to avoid permanent brain damage. Assorted shoulder injuries occur frequently in volleyball usually from overuse. Shoulder injuries account for 20% of injuries in volleyball (Injury Statistics). Many female athletes endure overuse injuries because most of them participate in one sport year round. Shoulder dislocations and rotator cuff strains/tears frequently happen to volleyball players. These result

4 Edgar 4 from hitting and serving repeatedly without using correct procedures. A dislocation is defined as When the two bones that come together to form a joint become separated, the joint is described as being dislocated (Sport Injuries). If a shoulder dislocation occurs, emergency medical treatment is vital. A dislocation is very painful and narcotics are necessary. Rotator Cuff injuries however can be very minor or very severe. Signs of a rotator cuff injury include pain when raising your arm, weakness in your shoulder, and pain that wakes you from sound sleep almost every night (Shannon 128). Minor strains to the rotator cuff will require rest and physical therapy. However, tears require surgery to repair the torn tendon and restore strength to the shoulder. After the surgery the athlete must wear a sling to stabilize the shoulder to allow efficient recovery. To prevent shoulder injuries volleyball players should use proper hitting and serving mechanics to minimize shoulder strains. Proper mechanics include using the bow and arrow and torque techniques. These techniques involve having the athletes hitting arm raised above one s head, leading the attack with the elbow then following through with the hand and wrist. This technique protects athlete s shoulders from injury but also allows the optimum speed and power of a quality hit. Many Olympic athletes have turned away from the use of braces and restraints and turned toward the use of tape and Kinesiology tape (KT tape). Kerri Walsh, an Olympic gold medalist in beach volleyball, wore KT tape on her shoulder at the Beijing Olympics in KT tape was developed in Japan during the 1970 s and came to the United States during the 1990 s. In an interview, Graceann Forrester said, Unlike standard athletic taping, which often involves wrapping a joint for support and compression, kinesiology tape is placed in a variety of patterns depending on the injury (Johannes) Many studies have been conducted on the use of KT tape and came to the conclusion that there is no scientific evidence that the tape works. However, the

5 Edgar 5 scientists have determined that pain relief comes from placebo effect. In other words, the tape only works because the athlete expects and believes that it will bring the athlete pain relief. Kinesiology tapes do seem to provide some comfort, Forrester says. "Pain is an emotional thing," she says. "If [the tape] changes their perception, then it's going to change their pain" (Woolston). Some athletes still agree that even though the tape has no physical effect the mental state is enough because wearing large and bulky braces is restrictive to their movement. Especially in volleyball, athletes must be able to move around the court with swift and ease. Volleyball players would prefer not having anything on them that could potentially restrict their movement. Volleyball players would rather attempt to treat their injuries and still be able to play instead of sitting out. Dedicated athletes will go to any means necessary to be able to participate in the sport that they love. Volleyball is a game of intense reactions; therefore, many injuries occur from rapid body movements. What is important for volleyball players to know is that their health is their best asset. Protecting themselves from injury is vital because the decisions that they make now will drastically affect their future. Injuries occur all over the body from volleyball, such as the shoulder, ankle, head and knee. Preventing and treating injuries correctly will allow optimum performance from the athlete so even the most minor injuries need to be taken into consideration.

6 Edgar 6 Works Cited "Common Sports Injuries for Women." Physioroom.com. Physio Room, 3 Jan Web. 25 Sept Gallo, Robert, MD. "Become an Advocate for Sports Safety." Volleyball Injuries. Stop Sports Injuries, n.d. Web. 29 Sept "Injury Statistics - Women's Indoor Volleyball." Women's Indoor Volleyball. Women's Indoor Volleyball, N.p, n.d. Web. 25 Sept Johannes, Laura. "Putting on the Stripes to Ease Pain." The Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal, 27 Apr Web. 25 Sept Lasalandra, Michael. "Women and Sports Injuries: Why It's a Different Game." Women and Sports Injuries: Why It's a Different Game. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Mar Web. 25 Sept Shannon, Joyce Brennfleck. Sports Injuries Information for Teens: Health Tips about Sports Injuries and Injury Prevention : Including Facts about Specific Injuries, Emergency Treatment, Rehabilitation, Sports, Safety, Competition Stress, Fitness, Sports Nutrition, Steroid Risks, and More. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, Print. Woolston, Chris. "The Healthy Skeptic: The Sticky Issue of Kinesiology Tapes." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 04 Apr Web. 25 Sept