3 Common Volleyball Injuries: Knee, Shoulder, Thumb

By: Jennifer Scott, Registered Physiotherapist

This week’s topic: Jumper’s Knee

  1. Jumper’s Knee (Patellar Tendinopathy)

Symptoms: Pain around the knee cap, pain with jumping, discomfort when contracting the quadriceps muscle (front of thigh), pain when you push on the area just below your knee cap

Cause: Repetitive knee extension (jumping), common in volleyball and basketball

Physiotherapy can help:

  • Decrease pain and avoid aggravating the injury to return to play faster
  • Prescribe exercise to correct muscle imbalances contributing to the injury
  • Recommend bracing that will decrease discomfort and speed healing
  • Treat the injured tissue to facilitate healing
  • Provide a maintenance program to prevent recurrence
  • This condition can become chronic if not addressed

 2. Shoulder Sprain/Strain (Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy)

Symptoms: Pain around the front and side of the shoulder joint, restricted range of motion of shoulder, difficulty raising arm out to the side, pain with overhead motion (serving and hitting)

Cause: Repetitive overhead movement of shoulder particularly arm swing and rotation, impact to shoulder

Physiotherapy can help:

  • Decrease pain and avoid aggravating the injury to return to play faster
  • Prescribe exercise to correct muscle imbalances or postural issues contributing to the injury
  • Recommend bracing or taping that will decrease discomfort and speed healing
  • Treat the injured tissue to facilitate healing
  • Provide a maintenance program to prevent recurrence
  • This condition can become chronic if not treated

 3. Sprained thumb

Symptoms: Pain when splay fingers, pain with pushing thumb back, tender on palm just below thumb or on joints

Cause: Thumb was pushed back past its normal range (commonly occurs in blocking or handsetting)

 Physiotherapy can help:

  • Decrease pain and avoid aggravating the injury to return to play faster
  • Prescribe exercise to strengthen weakened structures
  • Recommend bracing or taping that will decrease discomfort and speed healing
  • Treat the injured tissue to facilitate healing
  • Teach you how to avoid reinjury

Thanks for taking the time to learn more about Volleyball injuries! If you want to learn more, please call or email us and ask for Jen Scott.

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