5 Basketball Safety Essentials

5 Basketball Safety Essentials

Basketball is a fun game. It improves your social skills by playing as a team. The competitive pastime quickens your reflexes while ensuring that your heart gets enough cardiovascular exercise. But for those who are not regular players, it is a risky sport.

So while you can get most of your gear from a basketball shop, you need to know how to protect yourself while on the court.

It is a given that most people who play contact sports are at risk of injuries. Basketball is probably the most common sport that incurs a lot of them. Players sometimes get simple finger injuries, ankle and muscle sprains, and knee tendinitis regularly. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and Sever’s disease (a heel-related illness) used to be indicators of “game over” for some players, if not for great strides in both surgical and non-invasive interventions.

The right basketball attire

When you buy your gear from a basketball shop, you will buy a lot of things – jersey, shorts, and hoodies or sweats to complete your look. But you should also purchase other things that should keep you safe while playing. For instance, basketball shoes are designed to give proper support, especially for the ankles. These have to fit you snugly and must be non-slip. If you want to be safe, you can wrap some athletic tape on your ankles and soles for additional protection before you wear socks.

Elastic bands also have a purpose. A headband prevents sweat from getting to your eyes while you are on the court. A wristband gives you the luxury to wipe moisture from the rest of your face as you play ball. Muscle fatigue is also a real threat, so it is best to wear leg sleeves for added armour for your shin and calves. (These are also indispensable if you are recovering from leg injuries to ease pain and reduce edema or swelling.) And if you can, wear a mouth-guard to prevent your mouth and tongue from unexpected falls.

Stretching and warm-up exercises

Your muscles and joints should be prepared for the game’s physicality. So before starting any game, it is essential to do warm-up exercises. It would be best if you also did the proper stretching, so you do not pull any muscle while in the middle of the play.

Hydrate and rehydrate

Since basketball is a physical sport, profuse sweating is an inevitable experience. So it would help if you were hydrated all the time. Water and sports drinks are your friends before, during, and after your ball game. It is advised that you drink at least eight ounces before playing. You also need to rehydrate every thirty minutes with a cup of water or whenever you feel thirsty.

Check the court

If you are playing with friends indoors, make sure that the court clearly shows any water and material obstructions such as gravel or misplaced items. If you are outdoors, do not play under extreme weather conditions like snow and rain (because you may slip and fall) and under the scorching heat of the sun (because you may get sunburned or a skin-related illness.) And if you have not used your backboards and baskets for some time, it is best to check if they are still mounted safely.

Research your moves

When you play ball, you jump, shoot, land, and pass. A miscalculation can make you stop playing to go to a doctor. So before playing, you need to study the game. Check the videos of professional basketball players so that you know how to execute moves without hurting yourself.

Everyone can play basketball; it’s an enjoyable way to exercise. But don’t forget to gear up properly to ensure that you are safe and secure while playing one of the greatest sports in the world.

Eliza Gilbert is a farmer of words in the field of creativity. She is an experienced independent content writer with a demonstrated history of working in the writing and editing industry.  She is a multi-niche content chef who loves cooking new things.