The score is tied, suddenly a West Park girls volleyball player jumps up beside the net, everybody stares while on the edge of their seats. She spikes the ball over the net, the receiving team scrambles to pass it but fails. The crowd roars and claps from the bleachers. West Park won but at what cost? On her way down from the spike, she lands on her ankle; rolling it in a circle. 

Every sport can be dangerous for the players which is why it’s important to prevent injuries as much as possible. To some, volleyball may not seem dangerous but the players understand that the quick motions along with a ball flying back and forth in the air isn’t always the safest situation to be in. 

Jia Goraya, a student and girls volleyball player at West Park, said, since the girl rolled her ankle “the whole game went down because we were stressed.” 

Even during volleyball practice it’s important to continue to be careful because without an important player the whole game’s future could be ruined. For example, if the best player gets a severe injury, then in the upcoming game there won’t be any players to carry the team which could lead to the team failing.

That unfortunate process could last for a while depending on how bad the injury is. Some take anywhere between 2 weeks to months to heal. 

According to Harvard Health, “The severity of an ankle sprain depends on how much damage it does and how unstable the joint becomes as a result. The more severe the sprain, the longer the recovery”

Ankle sprains normally heal pretty quick and don’t require too much work to heal them but on the other hand, ACL tears can be much more severe.

Grace White, a volleyball specialist, said, “Because ACL tears do not heal, those hoping to return to sports activities are encouraged to have the ACL reconstructed. Recovery time is usually at least 6-9 months.”

Injuries are bound to happen in sports so it’s important to know the best way to prevent them as often as possible.

Mary L. Gavin, a child medical expert, advised, “Wear protective gear, warm up, know the rules of the game, and watch out for others.” 

Volleyball can be one of the many sports that can cause injuries to the players. Warming up and stretching is so important before playing a sport so chances of injuries are decreased. With decreased injuries, teams can work better together and become more successful. 

Goraya mentioned that when her team needs to warm up, they “run around the court and sometimes stretch.” 

Stretching has been proven to help many sports teams warm up and prevent injuries, including volleyball. 

Erik Witvrouw, an orthopedic doctor, stated,  “Sports involving bouncing and jumping activities with a high intensity of stretch-shortening cycles… require a muscle-tendon unit that is compliant enough to store and release the high amount of elastic energy that benefits performance in such sports.”

Every sport has a different way of protecting their players. In volleyball, there is a lot of traveling around the court, jumping in the air, and maybe even shoving from other players; especially when a team has poor communication. It’s important to watch for others and stay safe on the court so injury chances are reduced.