Court Sports
The most common knee injury among athletes is a torn ACL, and an abrupt pivot, plant or cut is all it takes for an ACL tear to occur. Court sports such as basketball and volleyball require a lot of jumping and hard planting. All athletes should implement exercises to stabilize the knee when a sport requires excessive cutting.
Court sports can quickly cause injuries to shoulders, ankles and knees. However, the doctors at Northwest Orthopaedic Specialists say a proper warm-up can help athletes avoid an injury. That includes a dynamic warm-up (movement such as plyometrics) and static warm up (including basic stretching) to get their muscles loose.
Female Athletes Especially at Risk of Injury
The knee doctors at Northwest Orthopaedic Specialists say that, whether it’s caused by hormonal or anatomical differences, young female athletes are at a much higher risk of knee injuries than young males. Females between the ages of 14 and 18 lack total neuromuscular control during landing or cutting. Muscular growth tends to lag behind coordination, so when young female athletes participate in high levels of athletic competition before their bodies have developed to handle it, they experience greater muscle fatigue, increasing the chances of an ACL injury.
See a Specialist
To consult a sports medicine provider, please request an appointment online, or call 888-660-2663.
Appointment Resources
Once you have scheduled your appointment, please use the link below to obtain our new patient forms and browse through our tips and preparation suggestions for your appointment.
"What an amazing experience I had at NWOS, with Dr. Lin doing my surgery. I had fallen on a hardwood court and shattered a bone in my wrist, which required putting in a metal plate (with screws and rings and things - oh my!) He didn't rush to surgery, though. He put it in a cast for a week, to see how it would look after the swelling had gone down, then told me all of my options, and we agreed on the surgery. The staff was so kind, from my first phone call to Chandra, to my final checkout, with Dr. Lin reassuring me along the way, I could not imagine a better place to be cared for, during such a painful and vulnerable time. Did I mention that Dr. Lin's surgical team was also superb? And, at age 60-ish(!) this was not my first time through surgery, even orthopedic (sadly). I've "compared" my surgical scar with friends' who have had wrist surgeries and they are astonished how mine has healed, in only six weeks! I followed all post-op instructions, and am back on the hardcourt, hiking (with TWO poles), shuffling cards, lifting (albeit LIGHTer) weights, and doing anything else my little heart desires (except the downward dog!) - and did not required physical therapy. Thank you, Dr. Lin, you are truly a gifted surgeon. I look forward to having my letter carrier "kneezles" repaired by one of your colleagues.............when I'm 80-ish!" — Susan L.