Netballers Knees - Sprains, Tendinopathies & ACL Injuries explained

By Ethan Farr, Sports Myotherapist & Exercise Scientist

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare an estimated 594,000 Australians over the age of 15 played netball throughout  2020–21. During this year there were 1,500 injury hospitalisations attributed to netball—1,380 female and 120 male. Just over half of these hospitalizations were due to soft tissue injuries and a little over a third were for fractures. According to Netball Australia “knees and ankles are the most commonly injured body parts for netballers” and they are most commonly injured during the landing phase when jumping or stopping.

A few of the most common soft tissue injuries that occur within netball include: ankle sprains, shin splints, achilles tendinopathy, patella tendinopathy and ACL tears. 

Now ankle sprains often dismissed as minor injuries, can prove far more nefarious than most believe. Beyond the immediate discomfort and inconvenience, untreated or improperly rehabilitated ankle sprains can lead to chronic instability, recurrent injuries, and even long-term joint damage not to mention decrease in sports performance and changes in walking and/or running mechanics increasing risk of many other injuries. The initial pain and swelling may subside, lulling individuals into a false sense of recovery, yet lurking beneath the surface are weakened ligaments and compromised proprioception, leaving the ankle vulnerable to further trauma. Myotherapy can play a crucial role in the treatment of ankle sprains by reducing pain and inflammation, improving blood circulation, and promoting tissue healing. Through targeted techniques, such as deep tissue massage and lymphatic drainage, we can help restore mobility, flexibility, and function to the injured ankle, facilitating a speedier and more complete recovery.

Patellar tendinopathies and ACL tears are some of the other more common and more sinister injuries that occur in netballers. These injuries can decrease general stability around the knee and cause a lot of pain in all movements of the knee. Patellar tendonitis or “Jumper’s knee” is an inflammation of the patella tendon or the tendon just below the knee cap, it is an overuse injury caused by running or jumping especially on hard surfaces much like a netball court. It is associated with pain around the knee cap that gets worse with activity such as walking, running or jumping, and it can get worse with walking up stairs or uphill.
Massage can help through improving circulation improving the healing process and by reducing tightness of muscles around or connecting to the patellar tendon reducing the pulling on the tendon.

ACL tears are an injury I’m sure most have heard of but you may not know what it actually entails, The ACL or the anterior cruciate ligament is one of 4 ligaments in the knee holding and supporting the femur (thighbone), tibia (shin bone) and the patella (kneecap) creating stability in knee movements. The ACL runs diagonally in the middle of the knee. It prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur and provides rotational stability within the knee (if you would like to know more on this check in with some of our other blogs).

Tears of the ACL are graded on a severity scale being graded 1-3:
Grade 1: The injury stretched your ACL enough to damage it, but it’s still in one piece and holding your knee bones together.
Grade 2: The injury stretched your ACL so much that it was partially torn and loosened.
Grade 3: A complete tear through your ACL meaning the ACL is now in two pieces.

So how can treatment help with ACL tears, in cases where surgery was required massage can help control swelling and improve circulation around the site as well as reduce tightness of muscles around the knee reducing perceived pain on your rehabilitation pathway for lower graded sprains and tears of the ACL massage can help reduce some guarding around the knees that can reduce mobility and cause pain but through the use of some exercise prescription we can help strengthen the muscles around the knee to improve stability and reduce risk of further injury of the ACL.

Should netballers be receiving myotherapy?
Absolutely! Prevention and "prehab" of injuries is a much better option then getting seriously injured in sport! Netballers, it's time to prioritise your well-being on and off the court. Don't let injuries sideline your passion for the game. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting out, understanding the risks and knowing how to address them is key to staying in top form. Don't wait until it's too late. Invest in your health, invest in your game.

Schedule a treatment with me on a Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday so I can help assess and plan a course of treatment for your knee issues, so you can keep playing strong. Your body will thank you for it!

Simple Wellness Myotherapy is located at Shop 12B/150 Kelletts Rd, Rowville VIC 3178. Additionally, you can contact us on (03) 8204 0970 to arrange an appointment today.