At California Sports & Spine Institute, we know that staying active is vital to living a healthy life — but with sports also comes the risk of injury. Whether you're an amateur runner or a competitive volleyball or basketball player, understanding the most common sport-related injuries can help you stay safer, heal faster, and get back to the activities you love.

Here’s a closer look at injuries frequently seen in volleyball, basketball, and running — and how the team at CSSI can help.

Volleyball: Ankle Sprains and Knee Injuries

Volleyball demands quick movements, high jumps, and sudden changes in direction. These movements place a lot of stress on the ankles and knees.

• Ankle Sprains: One wrong landing after a jump can easily cause a sprain. Ankles may swell, bruise, or become unstable after injury.
• Knee Injuries (Patellar Tendonitis): Known as "jumper’s knee," this condition involves inflammation of the tendon connecting your kneecap to your shinbone. It often results from repetitive jumping and landing.

Treatment Tip: Early intervention with physical therapy, bracing, and proper rehabilitation is key. At CSSI, we offer customized sports medicine care to promote fast and complete recovery.

Basketball: ACL Tears

Basketball players often face anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears because of quick pivots, abrupt stops, and sudden direction changes.

• ACL Injuries: An ACL tear can cause immediate pain, swelling, and a feeling that your knee is "giving out." Unfortunately, this type of injury often requires a longer recovery time and sometimes surgical repair.

Treatment Tip: Our team specializes in interventional therapies and rehabilitation strategies that may help avoid surgery when appropriate or optimize recovery after surgical repair.

Running: Shin Splints

Running, especially on hard surfaces or with improper footwear, can lead to shin splints — pain along the inner edge of the shinbone.

• Shin Splints: This overuse injury results from repetitive stress on the shinbone and surrounding tissues. Runners may experience tenderness, soreness, and mild swelling.

Treatment Tip: Proper biomechanics, rest, and guided strengthening exercises are essential. Our sports medicine experts at CSSI can evaluate your running mechanics and design a recovery plan tailored to you.

Why Choose California Sports & Spine Institute?

At CSSI, Dr. Maxim Moradian and Dr. James J. Lieu bring advanced, fellowship-trained expertise in sports medicine, interventional spine care, and pain management. Whether you're recovering from an ankle sprain, managing knee pain, or treating chronic shin splints, our team is dedicated to helping you heal safely — and return stronger than ever.

Visit Us:

Arcadia | Glendale | Palmdale

Call Today: (818) 338-6860 or (626) 460-1096

Request an Appointment Online: California Sports & Spine Institute