Basketball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle

Feet and ankles take a beating in basketball! Injuries can occur from running, jumping, cutting, quick starts and stops, and direct contact with other players. Basketball players should be aware of the following:

Inversion ankle sprains can damage the ankle ligaments and can also be associated with peroneal tendon injuries, fractures, and chronic ankle instability.

Overuse and excessive training can lead to heel pain (plantar fasciitis), Achilles tendonitis, sesamoiditis, stress fractures, posterior tibial tendonitis (or PTTD) and calcaneal apophysitis in children and adolescents.

One of the most common injuries is a Jones fractures, which is a fracture of the fifth metatarsal base. This can be due to the chronic impact of the ballistic activity, running and jumping, as well as the athlete's foot structure.