Basketball is one of the sports in which the sports person is quite prone to injuries. The most common injuries caused while playing basketball are associated with knees and ankles. Today, Dr Manu Bora is going to tell us about a few exercises that will help in preventing these injuries all together or helping your muscles build such coordination and strength that you do not face such injuries while playing basketball.

These exercises will not only help you prevent injury but will also greatly boost your sports performance

Rotational strength:

Purpose: To build shoulder strength

• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart
• Keep your arms straight
• Your partner resists while you rotate with the Thera Band.
• Take turns with your partner to rotate

Side-laying groin stretching

Purpose: stand in the hip adductor muscles

• lie on your side with your top leg bent forwards
• lift the lower leg straight upwards and lower slowly
• Perform the exercise slowly
• Keep your foot horizontal throughout the exercise

Side plan

Purpose: to improve low back and pelvis control

• Lie on your back with rolled mat under your pelvis
• Your hips and knees should remain 90degree throughout the exercise
• Slowly lift and lower your pelvis

Y exercise

Purpose: to strengthen the shoulder and upper bac

• Elevate arms in Y-pattern using a Thera band
• Keep shoulders low
• Keep your arms straight
• In the end position, pull your shoulder blades back and down

Nordic hamstrings

Purpose: to strengthen the hamstrings muscle

• Kneel on a soft mat
• Slowly fall forward, keeping your upper body and hips straight
• Control the falling motion using your hamstrings
• Use your arms to push yourself back to the start position

Copenhagen Adductor short

Purpose: to strengthen the adductor muscle

• Partner holds you at the knee-ankle position
• Keep your body stable, lower and lift the bottom leg
• Keep your body in straight line
• Perform the exercise slowly

Single leg bridge

Purpose: to strengthen the gluteal and hamstrings muscle

• Lie on your back with a ball between your knees
• Lift your hips until they are fully extended
• Squeeze your gluteal muscles
• Keep your body as you strengthen one knee
• Progression: Cross your arms over your chest

Single leg balance

• Stand on one leg on an unstable surface like a medical ball
• Keep your hip, knee and foot in alignment
• Challenge yourself with different ball activities
• Include a partner if possible for challenge and balance

The diver

Purpose: to improve trunk control and hamstrings strength

• Balance on one leg, with your knees slightly bent.
• Tilt your upper body forwards from the hip
• Keep your body and opposite leg in a straight line
• Raise your arms overhead
• Progression: Hold a medicine ball or dumbbell

Leg curls

Purpose: to improve control of the hips, pelvis, and lower back

• Lift up your pelvis and extend your hips
• Slowly roll the ball towards you by blending your knees
• Roll the ball backwards until your knees are extended
• Keep your lower back and pelvis stable throughout the movement

These are simple exercises that can help you improve your muscle coordination, develop muscle strength, and also boost your basketball performance without any injury.