Revealing Five Lesser Known Volleyball Related Injuries

Volleyball related injuries can occur at any level of play and can take many forms.

If you’ve been around the game long enough, you’re probably well-aware that volleyball related injuries can range from ankle sprains to finger fractures.

Some of the most common conditions faced by competitive volleyball players are caused by overuse. For example, shoulder tendonitis and rotator cuff tears are common injuries for athletes who overtrain or fail to sufficiently cross-train. In a sport that requires the arm to extend and rotate into extreme positions, it’s no wonder that the shoulders experience excessive strain.

Volleyball players also often face a condition called “jumper’s knee.” This condition is a result of the frequent impact sustained while jumping, landing, and twisting - all movements that the average volleyball player repeats over and over during practices and games.

In addition to some of these more common problems, our sports medicine specialists here at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute always encourage players, parents, and coaches to be aware of the less common volleyball injuries.

Five Lesser-Known Volleyball Related Injuries

1. Ankle sprains with co-occurring injuries: Most common ankle sprains, while they are frustrating and painful, are not severe and will heal with a relatively short period of rest, immobilization and physical therapy. However, sometimes a sprain will occur alongside a fracture or associated ligament damage. In this case, recovery takes longer and may involve more intensive therapy or bracing. When sprains like this are more severe, the athlete may also experience chronic ankle instability or subsequent sprains.

2. Anterior cruciate ligament tear: While “jumper’s knee” (patellar tendonitis) is one of the most common volleyball related injuries, ACL tears can also sometimes occur when an athlete lands a jump awkwardly or makes a sharp, cutting movement. It’s important to be aware of this more serious knee injury, which can, in some cases, require surgical repair.

3. Shoulder impingement syndrome: A torn rotator cuff is painful and immobilizing for a volleyball player’s all-important shoulder joint. However, before a tear occurs, the athlete may experience a condition known as shoulder impingement syndrome, which could be the first warning sign of a problem in the joint. This syndrome, which occurs when the tendons of the rotator cuff become pinched between the arm bone and the shoulder blade, usually produces pain and inflammation.

4. Spondylolysis: The sport of volleyball places a high demand on the spinal column and back muscles of those who play it. Repetitive bending, excessive rotating, and the extension of the back while hitting and setting are all factors that contribute to many athletes’ complaints of lower back pain. In many cases, that pain is the result of fatigued or strained muscles. In other cases (especially among younger volleyball players), the vertebrae can actually become fractured, resulting in one of the lesser known volleyball related injuries: spondylolysis. Also, it’s helpful to note that pain in the lower back that is accompanied by numbness in the foot or ankle could be a sign of a herniated disc.

5. Concussion: A sports concussion can occur when a volleyball player sustains impact to the face, head or neck. When the impact is significant enough to actually injure the brain itself, a concussion has occurred. For this reason, it’s vitally important that any hit to the head be brought to a doctor’s attention so that if a concussion is present, it can be properly diagnosed and treated.

Our physicians here at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute are available to see volleyball players and other athletes, who have sustained a sport-related injury. If you’re concerned about one of the five conditions listed in this article, we can help. Call us today at 1-800-321-9999 to set up an appointment with one of our sports medicine specialists.

In the meantime, you may benefit from reviewing the prevention information and helpful PDF flyer from Stop Sports Injuries, a project of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. The best way to address volleyball related injuries is, of course, to prevent them from ever occurring! Visit us here or contact us at 1-800-321-9999.