Netball and Your Knees: Understanding Risks and Protecting Your Joints

Is Netball Bad for Your Knees?

Netball, like many dynamic, high-impact sports, inherently places significant demands on the knee joint due to its characteristic movements. While it carries a risk of knee injury, this does not mean the sport is inherently "bad" for your knees; rather, the risks are manageable through proper preparation, technique, and conditioning.

The Demands of Netball on the Knees

Netball is a sport characterized by rapid, multi-directional movements that impose considerable stress on the lower limbs, particularly the knees. Understanding these biomechanical demands is crucial for appreciating the potential for injury.

• High-Impact Landings: Players frequently jump to intercept passes, shoot, or defend. Each landing generates ground reaction forces that are transmitted through the ankle, knee, and hip joints. Improper landing mechanics, such as landing stiff-legged or with the knees collapsing inward (valgus collapse), significantly increase stress on knee ligaments and cartilage.
• Rapid Decelerations and Accelerations: Netball requires sudden stops and explosive bursts of speed. Deceleration forces are particularly taxing on the quadriceps and patellar tendon, as these structures work eccentrically to control the body's momentum.
• Sudden Changes of Direction (Cutting and Pivoting): A cornerstone of netball is the ability to change direction quickly while maintaining balance. These "cutting" movements involve planting one foot and rapidly changing the body's orientation, which places rotational and shearing forces on the knee joint, especially the menisci and cruciate ligaments. The rule prohibiting players from moving with the ball after landing further emphasizes pivoting, adding to these rotational stresses.
• Repetitive Stress: The cumulative effect of repeated jumping, landing, stopping, and changing direction over a game or season can lead to overuse injuries.

Common Netball-Related Knee Injuries

Given the biomechanical demands, certain knee injuries are more prevalent in netball players:

• Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tears: This is one of the most severe knee injuries and is often non-contact, occurring during sudden deceleration, hyperextension, or a combination of cutting and pivoting movements, especially with a valgus (inward) collapse of the knee.
• Meniscus Tears: The menisci are C-shaped cartilage pads that cushion the knee joint. Twisting or hyperflexion movements, common during pivoting or awkward landings, can lead to tears.
• Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) / Runner's Knee: Characterized by pain around or behind the kneecap, often exacerbated by jumping, squatting, or prolonged sitting. It's typically an overuse injury linked to muscular imbalances or poor patellar tracking.
• Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper's Knee): Inflammation or degeneration of the patellar tendon, which connects the kneecap to the shin bone. Common in sports involving repetitive jumping and landing.
• Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Sprains: The MCL is on the inside of the knee. It can be injured by a direct blow to the outside of the knee or by valgus stress (knee buckling inward) during cutting or landing.

Factors Increasing Knee Injury Risk in Netball

While netball carries inherent risks, several modifiable and non-modifiable factors can increase an individual's susceptibility to knee injuries:

• Biomechanical Deficiencies:
  • Poor Landing Mechanics: Landing with stiff knees, knees collapsing inward (valgus), or over-rotation.
  • Improper Cutting Technique: Lack of control during deceleration and change of direction.
• Muscular Imbalances and Weakness:
  • Weak Glutes: Especially gluteus medius, which helps stabilize the hip and prevent knee valgus.
  • Weak Hamstrings: Important for knee stability and counteracting quadriceps dominance.
  • Inadequate Quadriceps Strength: Essential for absorbing landing forces.
  • Poor Core Stability: Affects overall body control and lower limb alignment.
• Neuromuscular Control Deficits: The inability of the nervous system to coordinate muscle activity effectively, leading to slower reaction times and less precise joint control during dynamic movements.
• Inadequate Warm-up and Cool-down: Failing to prepare the body for activity or assist recovery can increase muscle stiffness and reduce tissue elasticity.
• Fatigue: As players tire, their technique often deteriorates, increasing the risk of awkward movements and compromised joint positions.
• Improper Footwear and Playing Surface: Shoes lacking adequate support, cushioning, or grip can contribute to instability. Hard or uneven playing surfaces can also increase impact forces.
• Previous Injuries: A history of knee or ankle injuries can predispose an individual to re-injury if not fully rehabilitated.
• Sex-Specific Factors: Female athletes tend to have a higher incidence of ACL injuries compared to males, attributed to differences in anatomy (e.g., Q-angle), hormones, and neuromuscular patterns.

Strategies to Protect Your Knees While Playing Netball

Proactive measures are key to mitigating the risks associated with netball and protecting your knee health:

• Comprehensive Strength and Conditioning Program:
  • Lower Body Strength: Focus on exercises targeting the quadriceps (e.g., squats, lunges), hamstrings (e.g., Romanian deadlifts, hamstring curls), glutes (e.g., glute bridges, band walks), and calves.
  • Core Stability: Incorporate exercises like planks, bird-dogs, and anti-rotation drills to improve trunk control, which directly impacts lower limb alignment.
  • Plyometric Training: Progressively introduce jumping and landing drills to teach proper absorption of forces and enhance power. Emphasize soft landings with knees bent and aligned over the feet.
• Neuromuscular and Agility Training:
  • Proprioceptive Drills: Balance exercises (e.g., single-leg stance, wobble board) to improve joint awareness.
  • Cutting and Pivoting Drills: Practice multi-directional movements with controlled technique, focusing on maintaining knee alignment (avoiding valgus collapse) and efficient deceleration.
• Proper Warm-up and Cool-down:
  • Dynamic Warm-up: Before playing, perform dynamic stretches and light cardio to prepare muscles and joints (e.g., leg swings, high knees, butt kicks).
  • Static Cool-down: After playing, perform static stretches to improve flexibility and aid recovery.
• Technique Refinement: Work with coaches to ensure proper landing mechanics, efficient cutting, and safe pivoting techniques. Video analysis can be a powerful tool for identifying and correcting movement patterns.
• Appropriate Footwear: Invest in quality netball-specific court shoes that provide excellent lateral support, cushioning, and grip suitable for the playing surface. Replace shoes regularly as their support degrades.
• Listen to Your Body: Do not play through pain. Persistent knee pain is a sign that something is wrong and requires assessment by a healthcare professional. Adequate rest and recovery are crucial.
• Injury Rehabilitation: If an injury occurs, commit to a full and proper rehabilitation program under the guidance of a physiotherapist or athletic trainer before returning to play. Returning too soon can lead to re-injury.

The Verdict: Balancing Risk and Reward

So, is netball "bad" for your knees? A more accurate answer is that netball, like many high-intensity, multi-directional sports, inherently involves movements that place stress on the knee joint, thereby carrying an elevated risk of certain injuries. However, this risk is far from absolute and can be significantly mitigated.

For dedicated players, the benefits of netball – including cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, agility, teamwork, and mental well-being – far outweigh the risks when proactive steps are taken. By prioritizing strength, conditioning, proper technique, and listening to your body, you can enjoy the dynamic challenges of netball while safeguarding your knee health for years to come.