03/15/2021
Congrats and shoutout to my Texas Longhorns for winning the Big 12 Basketball Championship title and the #3 seed during Selection Sunday!
As March Madness approaches, we discuss injuries common to basketball. Basketball injuries are common, particularly those of the hand, wrist, and elbow. This is largely because of the intense repetition of passing, catching and shooting players do in practice and games.
The hands, wrists, and elbows see a lot of action and take a beating. In today’s post we discuss some of the most common hand, wrist, and elbow injuries that occur when playing basketball.
1. Fractured Fingers/Hands
An impact to the hand is common in basketball when players collide, during a fall, or when catching the basketball.
At one point or another, every basketball player will experience a jammed finger - generally a simple sprain or injury to a ligament in the finger. However, a more serious impact may result in the fracture of the bones in the finger or even the hand. Although the bones in the fingers and hands are quite small, a fracture can throw the whole hand out of alignment, making even basic tasks difficult and painful.
Treatment: In the majority of cases, the bones can be realigned without surgery and placed in a splint or cast while the fracture heals. Splints or casts can be worn anywhere from three to six weeks, depending on the severity of the break and how quickly it heals. In some cases, surgery might be needed to realign the bones appropriately and screws, pins, or wire may be needed to hold the bones in position.
2. Elbow Bursitis
Elbow bursitis refers to inflammation or irritation of the elbow bursa, which are slippery, thin sacs that cushion the soft tissues and bones. Elbow bursitis may be caused by infection, repetitive activity, or an injury to the elbow bursa. Bursitis causes the elbow to swell, and fluid collects in the bursa. Bending the elbow can become painful as the swelling increases.
Treatment: Most of the time, elbow bursitis is first treated with non-surgical options. Cortisone injections or anti-inflammatory medications may be recommended to help with swelling and pain.
The fluid may be aspirated from the elbow with a needle. If the bursitis does not improve without surgery, the entire bursa may have to be surgically removed. The bursa will usually grow back after several months and function as it once did.
Los Angeles Clipper Blake Griffin has had to deal with bursitis over the course of his career, and has his elbow aspirated regularly.
3. Elbow Tendonitis
Elbow tendonitis is an injury from overuse that can occur in basketball players as the result of passing, shooting, and dribbling the ball. With elbow tendonitis, tendons that attach the forearm muscles to the elbow become swollen and inflamed, causing elbow pain. Symptoms usually begin as minor pain that gradually gets more severe.
Treatment: Typically, elbow tendonitis can be successfully treated without surgical intervention. Surgery is only recommended if symptoms do not improve with nonsurgical treatment. Nonsurgical treatment includes physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, and rest. Sometimes, a brace may be recommended, and cortisone injections may be given to relieve inflammation. If surgery is necessary, it can frequently be done arthroscopically, which allows for a faster recovery time than traditional open surgery.
4. Wrist Sprains
Wrist sprains happen when a ligament is torn or stretched, typically when the wrist is forcefully bent. Wrist sprains can happen if a player falls on the court while their hand is outstretched. A sprain may be minor, where the ligaments are simply stretched, or more intense, where the ligaments are torn – partially or completely.
Treatment: The majority of wrist sprains can be treated non-surgical interventions, although surgery may be required if the ligament is completely torn. Nonsurgical options for a wrist sprain often include anti-inflammatory medications and immobilization with a splint. The RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) method is also frequently recommended for wrist sprains.
5. Mallet Finger - Mallet finger is one of the most common injures in basketball players. It occurs when the ball strikes the end of an extended finger causing forceful bending of the last finger joint (DIP joint) and rupture or tearing of the extensor tendon, which is attached to the finger bone. Injured finger becomes painful and swollen at the DIP joint and the tip of the finger feels and looks stuck in a bent position. If not treated in a timely fashion, the injury can lead to permanent deformity and discomfort.
​
6. Jammed Finger - When a basketball hits the finger "head on" while the finger is fully extended, collateral finger ligaments can tear or rupture, usually at the middle knuckle joint of a finger (PIP joint). In addition, the collateral ligament can tear at its attachment at the volar plate (thick ligament on the palm side of the joint) and middle phalanx. These injuries are frequently accompanied by avulsion fractures, which occur when a piece of bone is torn away by a tendon or a ligament. It is important to evaluate the jammed finger quickly as the avulsion fractures indicate major ligament or tendon injury and can lead to significant long-term pain and stiffness if not treated appropriately.
7. Volar Plate Injury - One of the most common injuries to the PIP joint occurs on the palm side of the finger joint to a thick ligament known as the volar plate (Figure 1). Any injury that causes hyperextension (backward bending) can result in a tear of the volar plate with or without an avulsion fracture.
8. Central Slip Extensor Tendon Injury - Center slip extensor tendon injury is highly common injury in basketball players. It occurs when the PIP joint is forcibly flexed while actively extended. Another cause of the central slip tears is the volar (palm-side) dislocation of the PIP joint. In either case, if the injury is not treated in a timely fashion, the affected finger will develop a Boutonniere deformity.
9. The PIP joint and the MP joint (knuckle joint) dislocation - All dislocated joints need to be immediately evaluated to assess for tendon, ligament, and bone injury. Although the dislocated joint can often be reduced on the basketball court, any joint that cannot be reduced is considered an emergency.
​
Texas Longhorns
