Physical Therapy for Basketball-Related Injuries: 5 Warm-Up Exercises
With March Madness ramping up, the buzz around basketball amplifies, as do clinic evaluations. As a Physical Therapist, I find an increasingly high number of basketball-related injuries roll in starting the month of March. Whether it be college, high school, recreational, open gym, weekend warriors, or anything in between—an injury on the court can set back any athlete.
Injuries in Basketball
Basketball requires agility, rapid changes in direction, explosive jumping, and—we can't forget— a safe landing. I find the most common injuries are sprains of the ankles or knees. Dynamic stretches and warm-ups are clinically proven to reduce the number of injuries sustained on the court. What makes an exercise dynamic is that you are moving at the same time as stretching. This prepares the muscles for the game ahead.
The Warm-Up
An ideal warm-up should focus on muscle groups and specific actions that will be performed during your activity. Below are 5 basketball warm-ups you should consider adding to your repertoire. They are organized from low intensity to high. This will allow you to slowly increase the temperature and elasticity of your muscles.
1. Frankenstein March
This exercise will help improve hamstring flexibility.
Keeping one plant leg straight down, kick the other leg up with the goal of kicking the fingertips on the opposite hand. Then alternate throughout the allotted distance of the exercise.
Do this for: 1 full length of a basketball court (84-94 ft)
2. Heel Walk
This exercise will help improve ankle stability and strengthen the muscle along your shin. Initiating the range of motion and mobility of the ankle in this direction can help reduce shin splints.
Start off by standing with good posture, chest up & out and shoulders back. Raise both of your toes off the ground. Step forward with your right leg and drive your heel into the ground. Keep the toes pointed upwards at all times. This will help strengthen your tibialis anterior, the muscle around the front of your shin. Then step forward with your left leg.
Do this for: Half the length of a basketball court (42-47 ft)
3. Toe Walk
This exercise will help improve ankle stability and strengthen your calf muscles. The calf plays a major role in controlling the landing from jumps.
Start off by standing with good posture, chest up & out and shoulders back. Raise both of your heels off the ground, balancing on the balls of your feet. Step forward with your right leg, driving the ball of your foot into the ground. Toes should be pointed down. This will activate and isolate your calf muscles. Then step forward with your left leg.
Do this for: half the length of a basketball court (42-47 ft)
4. Backpedaling
This exercise will help improve quad, hamstring, glutes, and calf activation. This helps initiate coordination and landing mechanics.
As this is another exercise that all of your players have probably done before in some capacity, points of emphasis should be keeping their hips down and reaching back as far as they can to perform each step.
Do this for: 1 full length of a basketball court (84-94 ft) at roughly 50% of your top speed as coordination and technique allow.
5. Over the Fence
This exercise will help improve hip mobility by stretching the hamstrings, groin, and hip flexors.
To perform Over the Fence, players should face the opposite direction from where they will be traveling.
They should then lift one knee up as high as they can, and rotate the knee backward as though they are trying to step over an imaginary fence behind them.
Alternate legs, traveling backward for the duration of the exercise.
Do this for: half the length of a basketball court (42-47 ft)
In Conclusion
Short-term investment with long-term benefits, adding a dynamic warm-up will make a BIG impact on your athletic performance and facilitate injury prevention. This will allow you to stay on the court and keep on enjoying the sport you love.
Whether you take 5 minutes or 10 minutes to warm up before the big game, allowing your muscles to ease into physical activity will help reduce sprains and strains.
Read more related articles:
Rotator Cuff Stretches to Protect from and Avoid an Injury
Techniques and Exercises for Pain Relief