Volleyball

The regular jumping necessary in volleyball increases the risk of ankle, calf and knee injuries. Volleyball is a ball sport with many ‘overhand’ techniques. The smash, the service and the set-up. Overhand techniques increase the risk of an overuse injury around the shoulder joint.

Ankle
A commonly occurring injury in volleyball is a sprained or twisted ankle. In most cases, the injury occurs following a landing on the outside of the foot whereby the foot twists too far inwards. On the outside of the foot, capsula, ligaments and nerve fibre can be damaged due to overstretching. On the inside, cartilage can be damaged by excessive compression. Depending on the seriousness of the injury, the tissue on the outside is either stretched or torn. This damage causes bleeding in the ankle. As a result, the ankle swells, (after a short time) bruises and becomes painful.
The damaged tissue heals naturally just like a wound on the skin. However, muscle and nerve fibre does not automatically regain its original function. Muscle and nerve fibre must be trained. This is possible with simple balance exercises. In addition, the ankle must be protected to prevent the risk of recurrence. A Push Sports Ankle Brace is an excellent solution.

Calf
A common injury in volleyball is what is known as “calf strain”. Calf strain is a (minor) tear in the calf muscle. The sensation is similar to that of a whip crack at the moment the muscle tears. As well as considerable pain, it is no longer possible to complete the normal placement of the foot. It takes six weeks before the tear is fully healed. A possible cause is insufficient or no warming up.

Knee (acute injury)
The knee is a joint susceptible to injury. The knee joint can be damaged through twisting. In such a twisting incident (cruciate) ligaments and meniscus tissue can be damaged. Injury to the meniscus can cause swelling and it may no longer be possible to correctly bend and extend the knee. Serious injury to the cruciate ligaments often causes internal bleeding or accumulation of fluid. The knee then feels swollen and warm, is painful and no longer moves well. In the event of a serious twisted knee, cruciate ligaments and the inner meniscus are often both damaged. If injury to the cruciate ligaments is suspected, it is important that the correct diagnosis be made by a sport physician and/or sport physiotherapist. During and following recovery from a knee injury, it may be worthwhile to protect the knee (during sport) with a Push Sports Knee Brace.

Knee (overuse injury)
A commonly occurring knee injury in volleyball is irritation of the joint cartilage behind the kneecap. This is an often difficult to localise pain perceived around and behind the kneecap. The pain above all occurs during or after volleyball. During bending and stretching, the knees may ‘crack and creak’ and sometimes swell up following major exertion (volleyball match!).
A diagnosis can be made by a sport physiotherapist and/or sport physician. Depending on the diagnosis, the correct measures can be taken. Possibilities include good shoes, muscle-strengthening exercises, stretching exercises and sufficient recovery.

Quadriceps
The attachment of this muscle below the knee can cause pain problems due to overburdening. This is a common occurrence amongst young sportsmen and women who have undergone a growth spurt. The bones first increase in length, followed only then by the muscles and tendons. Many young sportsmen and women start to participate more frequently in sport, specifically in the period when they experience growth spurts. As a result, particularly this muscle attachment can become strained. The pain is generally below the kneecap (=patella). A Push Sports Patella Brace can reduce the main problem in many cases.

Thumb
An acute thumb injury is generally the result of a ‘wrong’ contact between the ball and the thumb. The thumb bends backwards. The symptoms are pain, swelling of the thenar and restricted movement around the thumb joint. Any movement of the thumb is particularly painful. As the thumb ligament is extended, there is often considerable pain without any clear instability in the joint. In the event of a tear, the pain and swelling increase, and there is greater instability. If the ligament is totally torn away, the pain can be manageable, because there is no further tension on the damaged ligament. However, the thumb is then considerably more mobile.

Following the correct treatment, these problems generally disappear by themselves. The first stage is several days rest. You can then start to gradually move the thumb, guided by the level of pain. In this phase, and when you return to sport, a Push Sports Thumb Brace can protect the joint against pain, and worsening and recurrence of the injury. The way to prevent this injury occurring is to improve overhand techniques.

Shoulder
Due to the anatomical construction of the shoulder, the muscles around the shoulder you need for the overhand techniques in volleyball can become trapped. If this happens too often, in combination with insufficient recovery time, these muscles can become overloaded. The symptoms start with pain and stiffness during and after sport. Possible solutions for preventing the recurrence and/or worsening of this injury are an adaptation of the sport technique, and muscle strengthening and technique improvements.