Jumper's knee is a condition that many basketball players are forced to contend with over a long season. Professional basketball players compete in 82 games during the regular season and their knees take a tremendous amount of abuse over the course of the year. When the patellar tendon swells, it causes discomfort that impacts a player during the jumping process.
Warm Up Prior to Workouts
Never go out on the court and start practicing or playing without warming up. Do a light jog for at least five minutes to get started. After that, you need to do some dynamic stretching of the hips, quads, knees, calf muscles and hamstrings. Warming up properly will help you cut down on your chances of developing a serious case of jumper's knee.
Off-the-Court Strengthening
A professional basketball player must train off the court as well as improve his skills on the court. Proper strength-training exercises include leg curls, the leg press, lunges and calf raises. When you build strength in the muscles that support the knee, you have a better chance of avoiding patellar tendinitis.
Icing Your Knees
To reduce the swelling after you play, you must ice your knees after every game or practice. Wrap both knees with ice for 15 to 30 minutes to reduce swelling. Even if you are not feeling any symptoms, it is best to get in the habit of icing your knees to reduce the chances of developing jumper's knees. If you have the problem, you will immediately reduce the pain and swelling by icing your knees.
Medical Treatment
You have to be honest with yourself, your team trainer and the team's physician. When you are feeling pain as you move up and down the court and the pain does not abate, you should not be on the court. Rest can help your recovery, but continuing to play with jumper's knee can lead to more significant problems. Ligament, tendon and cartilage damage are more likely to develop when players with jumper's knee don't rest. Players should not try to play through the pain. They need to take time off and seek medical treatment.
Member Comments