Epidemiology
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Most injuries occur to blockers and hitters as opposed to passers and setters.
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Certain positions are associated with specific injuries ( Table 73.1 ).
TABLE 73.1
INDOOR VOLLEYBALL
Position
Location on Court
Function
Injuries
Setter
Front court
Set ball to hitter
Wrist tendinitis
Finger injuries
Hitter (spiker)
Front court
Spike ball into opposing court
Ankle sprains
Shoulder instability/impingement
Spondylolysis
Patellar tendinitis
Server (all players)
Back court
Serve ball
Shoulder instability/impingement
Blocker
Front court
Block or alter ball hit by opponent
Finger injuries
Ankle sprains
Patellar tendinitis
Passer
Back court
Receive serve
Contusions
Pass ball to setter
Injuries of upper extremities
May need to dive for or “dig” ball
Patellofemoral syndrome
Low back pain
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Most injuries are related to jumping and landing.
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A player landing from a jump near the net may accidentally come down on an opponent’s foot.
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Acute injuries
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Ankle and finger sprains make up a majority of acute injuries.
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Most acute injuries occur near the net.
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Overuse injuries
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More common than acute injuries
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Patellar tendinitis is the most common.
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Occur more often in elite players because they spend more time doing drills than recreational players
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General Principles
Terminology
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Positions (see Table 73.1 )
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Serve types
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Float serve
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The server immediately retracts the arm after hitting the ball.
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This causes the ball to “float” through the air because it has no spin, making it hard to return, like a knuckleball.
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Jump serve
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The server gets a running start and then jumps high into the air, with the serve taking place at the top of the jump.
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Gives more velocity to the serve and a sharp downward trajectory
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Dig
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Pass a ball that was spiked very hard
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Shank
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When the ball goes in the wrong direction while attempting to pass
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Pertinent History
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Volleyball is a truly American game with origins back to the 1890s.
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Made its debut at the Olympic Games in 1964
Equipment and Safety Issues
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Players often wear a long sleeve jersey to allow for safer sliding on the court during dives and slides.
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Elbow and knee pads can be worn ( Fig. 73.1 ).
Figure 73.1
Prevention of injuries. Knee pads can offer protection when digging balls.
(Copyright © P. Zivnuska 2016.)
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Padded pants can help prevent contusions to the greater trochanters and iliac crests.
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Sand socks can be worn during beach volleyball to protect the feet.
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Calling the balls (i.e., yelling “mine”) helps reduce chance of colliding with another player.
Rules
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Players are generally not allowed to cross the center line as this can lead to injuries when a player comes down on an opponent’s foot. The exception to the rule is doubles and beach volleyball.
Common Injuries and Medical Issues
Foot and Ankle Injuries
Ankle Sprain
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Most common acute injury in volleyball, accounting for up to half of all acute injuries
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Often occurs when a spiker or blocker lands from a jump around the net on another player’s foot
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Prevention
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Wearing an ankle brace after an ankle sprain has been shown to reduce the incidence of recurrence in volleyball players.
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Certain evidence suggests that a preseason plyometric exercises, similar to those used to prevent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, help prevent ankle sprains.
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Sand Toe
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Can occur during beach volleyball where shoes are not worn
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Hyperplantarflexion injury to the first metatarsophalangeal joint
Wrist and Hand Injuries
Finger and Thumb Sprains, Fractures, and Dislocations
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When blocking, fingers are spread apart and vulnerable to injury from the ball or the opponent’s hand ( Fig. 73.2 ).
