Common Badminton Injuries and Their Preventions
Since the age of 10, I have been an avid badminton player. The fast-paced thrill of a close match has been a high for me for as long as I remember my fond childhood memories. Growing up playing this sport, I can attest that badminton is one of the most intense racket sports to exist.
Quick starts and stops, combined with the squeaky noises caused by the friction of a player’s non-marking shoes and the court, make this game a rush. However, athletic maneuvering has also led to my fair share of sprains, strains, and sore joints.
After my last ankle sprain sidelined me for weeks, I realized I needed to be more proactive about injury prevention if I wanted to play badminton for years to come. Players in competitive badminton are vulnerable to overuse injuries due to the game's physical demands.
Without the necessary measures, even recreational players like myself may become incapacitated from conditions like shoulder tendonitis or persistent back discomfort. However, with proper knowledge of common badminton injuries, one can continue to enjoy our favorite sport!
In this article, I'll discuss the most frequent injuries in badminton, their causes, and how to avoid them using training, equipment, warm-ups, and listening to your body, based on my experience and work with coaches and physical therapists.
Even though badminton may be physically taxing, as seen by my collection of sprains and bruises, I'm not quite ready to put down my racket! And I am guessing you aren’t either. Thus fulfilling my reason behind sharing my knowledge about badminton injuries and their treatments and prevention.
Common Badminton Injuries
Badminton is an athletic activity that involves lunges, hops, fast changes of direction, and repeated swing actions, all of which can lead to common overuse injuries. The following are a few of the most typical ones that players should be aware of:
Ankle Sprains
In badminton, these are by far the most common injuries. Ankles are prone to rolling or twisting because of the continuous lunging and pushing off the feet in various directions. I've suffered from several little sprains, as well as a serious one that required six weeks in a boot. This could occur if you leap and fall awkwardly or change your weight too rapidly.
Bracing or Crepe-bandaging can help relieve the symptoms of ankle sprain faster.
I have learned that wearing good badminton shoes is the best way to avoid ankle sprains. The Hundred Court Star and the Hundred Infinity Pro are badminton shoes that provide the best whole-foot support. My personal favorite is the Hundred Infinity Pro.
Common Symptoms:
Swelling around the ankle
Redness or Discolouration
Ankle Stiffness
Tenderness in the ankle area when you apply pressure
Treatment: The best treatment plan for ankle sprains includes plenty of rest, ice, compression, and elevation immediately after injury. You must also immobilize the ankle with braces or taping to prevent further movement.
Tennis Elbow
Forgive the irony, but many badminton players get a tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis. It is a very common badminton injury caused by overuse of forearm muscles. When you excessively use your forearms, the muscle underneath goes through micro-tears and inflammation. The location of this inflammation is in the proximity of where your muscles meet the elbow.
Common Symptoms:
Pain in the outer region of the elbow
Elbow stiffness that limits its movements
Pain in lifting or gripping objects
Stretching before playing can greatly reduced the risks of developing a tennis elbow.
Treatment: Physiotherapy is the holy grail of treating a tennis elbow caused by playing badminton. Other treatment plans include icing the affected area for around 20 minutes, resting, and taking anti-inflammatory medications. Try wearing an elbow brace to lessen the pain and faster treatment. Another great way to prevent tennis elbow is to stretch your arm before playing.
Rotator Cuff Injury
The repetitive overhead swing in badminton can lead to rotator cuff strains and tendinitis. You can also develop shoulder impingement from the accumulation of small tears. I use resistance bands and rotations to support my shoulders while playing badminton.
Common Symptoms:
Severe shoulder pain while lifting objects or shrugging
Neck pain while sleeping or in general
Feeling tenderness around the shoulders and neck
Physiotherapy can be one of the most effective ways to deal with rotator cuff injury.
Treatment: Use ice to ease pain and inflammation. Go for physiotherapy sessions to strengthen and increase the range of motion in the rotator cuff. Other than these, NSAID medication also helps relieve tendinitis symptoms.
Wrist Sprain
Wrist sprains are another common badminton injury. It is even more common than an ankle-related injury or a tennis elbow because, in badminton, people use their wrists extensively. People like to play smash shots that require extensive wrist movement.
Wearing wrist bands or tapes while playing can reduce the chances of wrist pain.
These extensive wrist movements cause your wrist's muscles, tendons, and ligaments to get pushed too far in the body. Especially in badminton, something as trivial as holding the racket without proper technique can cause a sprain.
Common Symptoms:
Swelling
Experiencing pain while moving the wrist up and down
Stiffness in the wrist
Redness or discoloration of the wrist
Treatment: Icing, resting, and taking pain medications can help relieve wrist pain effectively. Wearing wristbands or taping while playing can also help prevent wrist sprains. However, if the pain persists longer than usual, you must visit a physician to check for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Lower Back Pain
Strong badminton swings demand rotating torso motions, significantly straining the lower back. Back soreness and stiffness are typical after extended bouts, even with strong core muscles. An effective warm-up and cool-down can help lower tension.
Common Symptoms:
Dull, aching, throbbing pain
Sharp pain while getting up and down a seat or the bed.
Treatment: The best treatment plan for countering lower back pain is taking preventive measures like warming up before games and cooling down later. Cross-training workouts are also a good way to prevent lower back pain.
Final Word
Badminton is a strenuous full-body activity that puts a lot of strain on tendons, joints, and muscles. For regular players, overuse injuries occur frequently due to the constant jumping, veering, lunging, and swinging. Sprains, strains, tendinitis, and back pain often come with dedicated participation in the sport we love.
Even while an occasional strain or sprain may be unavoidable, we can reduce the frequency of injuries and how long they take us off the court by taking proper measures. Before playing, take the time to warm up correctly, cool down, stretch, and focus on developing your strength, balance, and agility.
I hope this overview of common badminton injuries and prevention strategies helps you continue competing while avoiding major setbacks. Use the tips provided here to train smarter, play safer, and keep the fast-paced fun of badminton in your life.
