Ville Sports Med

As Louisville welcomes the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Final Four participants, I wanted to highlight the injuries faced by athletes in this booming sport that is so popular here in Louisville. With the explosion of club volleyball, this sport has become a year round completion for many participants. While having many benefits, this has led to a rapid increase in the number of injuries we as physicians see in this sport. While there are many common injuries seen across various sports such as ankle sprains, ACL tears, and stress fractures, the unique demands of volleyball place these athletes at higher risk of several specific injuries

The near constant overhead motion involved in volleyball places the shoulder at the forefront of volleyball injuries. Overuse injuries such as tendonitis, bursitis, and impingement are amongst the most common conditions faced by these athletes. Inadequate rest and recovery, poor mechanics, and muscle imbalances can predispose athletes for these conditions. More advanced conditions such as labral tears, specifically Superior Labrum Anterior Posterior, or SLAP, are also common in this sport. Similar to baseball pitchers, extreme rotation and torque from serving and spiking places strain on this structure’s attachment site. Over time it can become detached, causing pain, loss of power, and often requiring surgery to heal completely. Stretching and scapular strengthening can be very helpful in preventing and even treating these tears.

Lastly, atrophy and injury to a specific rotator cuff muscle, the infraspinatus, has been documented in surprisingly high numbers in elite volleyball players. Stretch on a specific nerve to this muscle is the likely cause. While generally asymptomatic, this condition which can be quite striking visually may warrant attention if it interferes with players’ ability to compete.

Knee injuries are also seen quite frequently in this population. Similar to basketball players, repetitive jumping, crouching, and landing on hard surfaces place these athletes at risk for patellar tendonitis, or “jumpers knee.” This condition will often cause pain in the front of the knee below the knee cap. It is also an overuse injury similar to shoulder tendonitis. Similarly, rest, proper stretching, and strengthening can help prevent this condition. Patellar straps, icing, and anti-inflammatory medication can provide relief when this condition is present.

Lastly, the low back, or lumbar spine, can take a tremendous amount of stress as athletes use their core to generate power in their swing. A condition known as spondylolysis is felt to be related to repetitive extension, or bending backward, of the lumbar spine. This condition affects a portion of the spinal column and can cause low back pain, and occasionally pain can radiate to the buttock or even leg. If present, aggressive treatment is indicated, including rest from sports, physical therapy, anti-inflammatories, and sometimes bracing. Most patients will be successfully treated without surgery but recovery can be prolonged. Very rarely surgery will be required to heal this condition.

These are just a few, but the most commonly seen, conditions faced by all levels of athletes participating in volleyball. Proper rest, mechanics, equipment, and coaching can prevent many of them. If your athlete is experiencing pain in these areas, the best course of action is to notify your coach and training staff they can get the attention they deserve.