Despite having foreign origins, badminton is said to be the 2nd most played game after cricket in India. Badminton is extensively played across all the alleys and colonies in India. If one ever takes a stroll in the evening, they would find a couple of people playing at every crossroad with slightly different rules. As kids, you must have fallen and fought with your friend for that one point, tripping on your shoelace injuries have always been part of our memories.
That’s all for local tournaments, moving to professional ones, where the athletes have to function in a set format designed to improve their performances and achieve the preset goals. Despite all these efforts, you never know when your luck will give up on you. A similar event happened in the 2012 London Olympics, when Wang Xin hobbled out of the court due to her sudden knee twist, leading Saina Nehwal to win. Xin’s injury was unfortunate and had put all her training in vain.
Common injuries that badminton players may suffer frequently.
Lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow is a general name for discomfort outside the elbow caused by various factors. Some inflammation is induced by prolonged clutching activities, such as badminton racquets during a tournament. Tennis elbow can be caused by a lousy backhand technique in which the player has a soft or bent wrist. Still, it is more commonly caused by repetitive strain in everyday tasks such as using a screwdriver, typing on a keyboard, clutching heavy things, or playing with the wrong posture. More information about tennis elbow therapy may be found here.
Wrist Pain/ Wrist Injury
Wrist pain is a frequent issue that arises on the badminton court. Wrist pain is caused by overstretching of the ligament in the wrist, which causes pain and discomfort. This is prevalent in badminton because athletes repeatedly hit the shuttle by flicking their wrists to acquire the most significant hit. This recurrent action produces tension on the overstretched ligaments and generates discomfort. Pain in the wrist can indicate many injuries or complications like wrist fracture, sprain, wrist tendonitis, or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Ankle Pain
One of the most common badminton injuries is caused by a sudden change in direction in reaction to your opponent’s return. The fast pace of badminton ensures that you will twist your ankle sometimes.
You may quickly lower your odds of it happening by simply wearing the proper footwork. Some athletes wrap their ankles with tape or use ankle braces. Get medical assistance immediately if you haven’t done anything more serious than a sprain. Rest and a cold pack should help keep the weight off for a few days. Footwear that ‘grips’ the surface too tightly might also result in a sprained ankle in badminton. It is an injury to the ankle ligaments and other soft tissues surrounding the ankle. The ligament injury produces tissue bleeding and an exceedingly painful swollen ankle.
Patellar tendonitis/Jumper’s knee
Patellar tendonitis, also known as jumper’s knee, is an overuse ailment that causes discomfort in the front of the knee, around the bottom of the kneecap. The patella tendon becomes inflamed or degenerated due to repetitive tension from excessive running or leaping. Patellar tendinitis is a complex ailment to cure since it needs extensive rest and a comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation regimen. There are a lot of intricate movements in badminton that, in the long run, can affect the knee of the player, like scissor kicks, lunges, and cross-over steps.
Shoulder injuries
Tendinopathy/Rotator cuff tendinopathy
Tendinopathy, also known as Rotator cuff tendonitis, is a degenerative disorder that affects one or more rotator cuff tendons in the shoulder. It is likely the most prevalent cause of shoulder discomfort that develops gradually over time or after a rotator cuff strain that fails to heal correctly. Learn more about how to treat and rehab rotator cuff tendinopathy.
Shoulder discomfort is the most prevalent source of pain among international badminton players in the upper limb, with rotator cuff tendinopathy being the most common diagnosis. It was caused mainly by medial epicondylitis, wrist injury by ligament sprain, and back injury by muscular strain.