I twisted my knee while playing badminton. My knee is still
not very comfortable yet. Any body has the same experience before? Can I play again? Am I prone to injury again? All
suggestions are highly appreciated.

Amy

How serious was your injury???
You should do a lot of walking to help strengthen the joints again, along with an excercise where you sit on a flat surface, preferrably something solid... and lift your leg up slowly, to a straight position... and slowly lower your leg again... practice this slowly, as I'm not a qualified physician... I can't recommend my techniques... even though I considered taking pre-med before I entered post secondary...
Anyways... there are knee braces out there which you can purchase they help to isolate your knee joints, and act as supports, to help you become more mobile with less pain, however... if your prognosis from your doctor was that serious, I suggest you take his/her advice, and just take it easy for now.
I have to take cod liver oil pills for my bones, because I slept funny on my shoulder a while back, and it affected my badminton strokes... :(
but I'm ok now, as long as I use proper technique... but that's beside the point...
Hope you get well soon, and get back on the court!
Take care.

Do not continue playing as it will worsten the situation. So take a few days rest and has a good sleep then ur knees will recover and next time, remember to warm up. Good knee training or drillscan made ur knees stronger when playing so as to avoid been injured again. :- )

i second on the knee brace. it really does help.

Thanks for your advice. My knee is fairly seriously hurt.
I have been resting for quite a while, but still not
back to the normal. I am using knee brace now. I took
MRI and the result shows that there is a tear on my
miniscus. Doctor told me that I have to take a surgery
to fix the tear. I am not in favour of doing it yet.
I am seeking some ways to exercise it and see how it goes.

Amy

I had an knee injury a while ago while i was playing soccer. I twisted my knee and it felt incredibly uncomfortable. Unfortunately it was on my right leg. Because i'm right handed, it gave me some problems.

Resting...... agreed, make sure to flex your knee several times after long periods of sitting. This will help to relax the muscles a little.

I wore a knee support for about a month after the injury because i was afraid to injure myself again.

I don't believe your prone to injury again but it will be easier to injure your knee again. Like when you sprain an ankle. Its sprains very easily in future injuries.....

Rest: if you've torn a tendon or ligament, the only thing you can do is to give yourself time to mend. They will mend themselves, but even a small amount of exercise can make the damage much worse. Complete rest is needed, especially for tendon sheaf damage.

Ice: this will reduce the swelling and increase recovery time. Make sure you put something on the skin (like a thin towel) before you apply ice. And don't keep it on the whole time, best is 15 mins on, 10 mins off, and repeat.

Compression: again, this reduces swelling. Massage the sides and back of your knees as often as you can, especially last thing at night and first thing in the morning.

Elevation: keep your knee raised above your heart if you can when resting, i.e. lie down with your leg on a pile of books or a stool.

You can also get a lot of anti-inflammatory over the counter drugs these days. Ibuprofen, acetominophen and paracetomol are all good and effective, paracetomol is probably the cheapest. Be careful not to take too much as all 3 can damage your stomach lining.

An elastic strap (make sure it is tight) around the knee when you do have to walk will take pressure off your ligaments.

WOWW!! we have a doc here. Wat dr harry say is right. I dun noe if u noe that when some of these Chinese often goes to these chinese patholo... so the man will juz push ur bone to fix back or help u to massage it and worst is that some put some kind of weird looking can stuff on ur knee but good is that it recover shortly and doesn' t have any side effects. I am not sure how true it is but my grandma often go to these doctors.

Thanx doc!!!! Now at least i know how to treat my messed up knee......

If your knee is truly messed up, you had better seek an Orthopaedic Surgeon with an interest in Sports Injuries.

It does occasionally. I'm not sure if anyone has this problem as well. But on my right foot. The little bone that sticks out on the left. Not the ankle bone but the one on the side of the foot itself hurts. I think that has something to do with me spraining my ankle before. But about my knee, i don't know. I twisted it once and it hurts occasionally. But i'll survive......

Eww... I'd say it's better to be safe than sorry.
I'd really hate to see you injure the knee anymore.
Take heed in your doctors advice, and just find out what the reprocussions are for taking the surgery, I know some people who live with injuries for most of their lives, however those people live in pain. :(
I'd rather have them get all better, so they can be normal again.
Best of luck to you in surgery, and you've got my support.
Go Amy! :)

Should you need the surgery Amy...... Good luck and i hope it all goes well.....

Byron

looking for some ankle support for strengthening purpose. i am trying to make sure that the ankle area is well supported to prevent injuries.

from what i have seen in the market, there are basically 2-3 types of ankle supports, some serious looking ones with strong plastic pieces on the sides. i have friends who have previous ankle injuries and use them.

and then there are the soft type, just some good elastic to hold the ankle together. among this type, there are some with heavier duty foam-ish type and the old style cloth+elastic type.

what have you use and what are your comments on them?

thanks!

When i started playing badminton i would always roll my right ankel which prompted me to buy an ankel support. First i tried a cheap elastic stretch one that was horrible (It cut into my skin and broke after two three hour sessions). Then i went to the local sports store found a lace up ankel brace. It was designed for soccer players so it allows for as much possible movement as could be hoped for. This brace is excellent. You wear it over your sock, lace it up, and put on your shoes. Not too bulky, not too stiff. Lace up ankel braces are the way to go (only cost 20$!):)
Hope this helps Kwun

The lace-up version with plastic inserts on the sides does the job, but it feels weird. I used one for about a month when I was recovering from an injury. I wouldn't use it if I didn't already have some sort of problem, though... it's too uncomfortable and it wears out your shoes!

Kwun: Did you check out the YY Muscle Power supports while you were in HK?

no. i didn't see them there. and i wasn't looking for ankle support then.

anyway. Janet was the one who wanted one. she has twisted her ankle a few times during badminton. i think she just need more practice to strengthen her ankle muscles, but it is nice to have a preventive measure.

i went to the local pharmacy and bought her the simple elastic type, i want her to try the least obtrusive type first. she used it all night last night and she loved it. she says she now feel much more comfortable moving around the court.

I think she was looking for a massage!

;)

heya Kwun,

ooh, sounds like your friend Janet has had some problems with her ankle... hmm..... i've had many injuries in badminton sad to say, including ankle injuries, but i've learned that if your ankle has already been twisted or sprained, you MUST rest!! But if the injury is only minor and reoccuring, then wear one of those nephron (SP!?) ankle supports, try to avoid the plastic type when playing.

The nephron type will help to prevent the injury but doesn't work as well as the plastic ones that hold your ankle in place. So conclusion? Nephron (SP!? again hehe) for play, plastic when recovering......

Hi Kwun,

This is my first post so I just wanted to add how impressed I have been by this site and forum. It's really a tremendous contribution and I feel that I have already learned and acquired so much useful information.

I also have a very weak ankle due to an old injury and thought I would relate some of my experiences.

Firstly, you may very well already be aware of this, is that any type of support can ultimately weaken the area and in fact turn into a type of crutch. I am not advocating not using support because ultimately it depends on the person (age, intensity, etc.) but I would highly suggest doing strengthening exercises and especially warming up the area and especially legs before play.

I realize that this may sound very basic, but very often I see many persons that play with supports and find that later that the area is even more prone to injuries when not wearing the support especially in normal day to day activities.

If you would like specific exercises to strengthen that area, I highly suggest the exercises on this site: www.abcbodybuilding.com (under injuries - lower body - ankle training exercises). Here is a direct link : http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/exercise2/ankle_sprain_rehabilitation_exer.htm

Lastly, I have found that when I do re-injure my ankle, I will tape it with the bandage you find in a first aid kit. It's slightly more work than simply putting on a brace, but I feel much more comfortable with it.

Take care and best of luck,

SmokingMan, welcome to BC/BF and thanks for the info.

Byro. i don't think Janet has injured her ankle. but she also hasn't been exercising her calf muscles that much either so her ankle area is weak. she twisted it a couple of times so her confidence is low on movements. as a result, she constantly try to not reach out during shots. she feel that after she started using the support, she has more confidence on the integrity of her ankle.

SM, i think you have a very good point, relying on external support will ultimately make the area weaker in the long term. hm... i thikn it is time to put janet through some weights and work out.. muhaha..

Originally posted by kwun

anyway. Janet was the one who wanted one. she has twisted her ankle a few times during badminton. i think she just need more practice to strengthen her ankle muscles, but it is nice to have a preventive measure.

i went to the local pharmacy and bought her the simple elastic type, i want her to try the least obtrusive type first. she used it all night last night and she loved it. she says she now feel much more comfortable moving around the court.

Actually, I think using ankle supports is one solution but NOT the first one you should think of. In fact, correct footwork and foot placement should be emphasized.
If Janet has twisted her ankle with her current footwork, and she hasn't developed enough musculature, what will happen when she gets stronger? Answer - more twisted ankles because the basic problem hasn't been addressed.

Secondly, the right shoes need to be used. A shoe with a wide base may be more stable for some types of players.

Thirdly, after a sprain, the ligaments may have been stretched on a permanent basis so this is the situatin where extra ankle exercises and ankle supports are more appropriate.

Kwun, I think you found your excuse for more footwork coaching.

As an example of ankle supports, take a look at Xia Xuan Ze. Many times, when he approaches the net, his front foot turns inwards. This puts a lot of pressure on the outer(i.e. lateral) aspect of the ankle on landing and pushing back.

If you compare with other singles players who don't wear ankle supports, they turn their foot outwards........:cool:

the lace up ones that basketballers wear are good, about $60 AUD or more though. They might be a bit full on but they do prevent injury but also restricts movement. The elastacised ones would be the best. The have ok support and are comfortable and barely restrict movement.

Cheung,

teaching footwork: forget it. i have been trying to have her *not* use her left foot to go up to the net for the last 1/2 yr. i have given up on that already.... :(

Kwun: How about changing to one of those high-top sneekers (eg SHB-95 high)? Those may give a little more lateral support. The left foot forward swing is a tennis thing. My wife does that too. It's burnt into her neurons. Cannot be changed!

:)

Originally posted by kwun
Cheung,

teaching footwork: forget it. i have been trying to have her *not* use her left foot to go up to the net for the last 1/2 yr. i have given up on that already.... :(

Maybe a different method of teaching will help :)

I've recently started feeling pain on both of my knees but more so on my right knee which is natural since I'm a right hander. The pain persists whether I'm on the court playing or the days of inactivity between each playing session (I play Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) and I play about 12 hours a week. Because of the pain I've become more conscious about some things like how my 4-year-old cross-trainers no longer have any cushioning at the heel. I considered buying a new pair of shoes, preferably the type specifically made for badminton but I ended up buying a pair of heel inserts (gel cushioning), I think they're helping but not much, afterall how much impact can gel cushioning less than a centimeter thick really absorb. Anyways I've discussed this matter with several people and my cousin who has had knee injuries in the past tells me that knee braces really do help but you have to get the "right" kind, he says that a lot of the knee braces out there don't actually do sh*t, excuse the language. So what I'd like to know is if anybody out there can recommend, specifically, what knee brace to get, as I recently found out, these things aren't cheap so I'd rather not have to buy several kinds to experiment. Thanks. Oh yeah, part of the reason that I didn't buy a new pair of shoes is because I play on abrasive rubber flooring and as I was told, indoor shoes tend to wear out really quickly on them, I don't know if that's true though.

Your cousin sounds like a good start to get information on what type of knee brace to get.

Failing that, I would seek advice from a physiotherapist, preferably one with an interest in sports rehabilitation.

Also do not underestimate the importance of proper footwear. I think gel cushion helps but depends which problem you are trying to help! Heel, yes. Knee, maybe not.

Knee injuries may also be caused by improper footwork. Not having seen you play, it is difficult to comment.

No quick answers here - even Peter Gade/Gopichand have had serious knee injuries.

Hmm, gel cushion is a big part of the shoe. Go to your local shoe dealer and ask them to find a shoe that has bad cushioning, then bring either ur gel or they may supply them and give you a test. They should tell you to try one foot with a regular sole and one with the modified gel sole and you should notice a significant difference.

I just hope you don't have one of those heavy knee braces. I picked up an ankle brace today and it feels alright. I just don't see the need for such a high cut thought :(

Yodums

I'm currently injured with a very bad knee twist. I tore ligaments and my meniscus. The first thing you should do is visit a sports medicine specialist, preferrably one that specializes in knee injuries. You may require a referral from your family doctor. Physiotherapists aren't necessarily doctors so you shouldn't go to one right off the bat. Improper treatment as a result of improper diagnosis can lead to further injury. It's crucial that you see a specialist first. After properly diagnosising your injury they will either recommend physiotherapy or otherwise. Trust me, you do not want to screw with your knees.

Good quality court shoes will definitely help. Court shoes with gum soles (those biege/natural coloured soles) do wear out faster on abrasive surfaces. Perhaps you can find good cross trainers or tennis shoes. They are usually heavier and thicker soled than indoor court shoes so be weary of rolling your ankles over.

Your cousin is correct about knee braces. My specialist told me the exact same thing. Most of the neoprene ones are just designed to keep your knee cap in place and provide the general area with compression support. However they don't go as far as to support weak/damaged ligaments, meniscus, tendons, etc. To do that you need to properly strengthen the supporting muscles in the injured area, as well as heal the damaged parts over time and/or surgery. However, there are knee braces that truly do help. And those are the really expensive ones you were referring to. They are expensive because they are usually made up of high strength, light weight materials, and are precisionally engineered with hinges so that your knee and leg do not twist at all, and can only bend to a maximum set angle. Custom fitted ones usually range in the thousands of dollars but there are companies that make generic ones for the masses. Usually ranging in the hundreds of dollars.

Anyway, from your description it sounds like you have a mild injury, don't make it worse. The first step is to get yourself in a specialists office and get properly diagnosed. Don't be afraid to get a 2nd or 3rd opinion either. Then you'll be on the road to a full recovery.

I spain my ankles very often and they are very weak. the spain easily.
Anyone know anything about braces for playing badminton? What are the best ones and do they hinder preformance and speed?

As far as braces (in general) are concerned, I personally prefer the nylon/rubber ones from Tensor. Compared to other brands and other materials, the braces from Tensor seems to breath better, trap less heat, and provide more support. I especially hate the neoprene (sp?) braces. The material doesn't breath at all, and traps a tremendous amount of heat (and sweat).

As to performance on the court, I find that a good brace wouldn't hinder performance too much (while providing the additional support). Fitment is especially important here, as a loose brace will not only be unable to provide the support that it should, but it also gets in the way and hinder joint movement.

I've had the unfortunate experience of using ankle braces before (again, it was a Tensor ankle brace, FYI). I find that while it doesn't impede movement of the ankle initially, it takes away some of the feel from my foot in that I can't really feel the floor underneath my foot anymore. Worse is the fact that after an extended period of wearing the brace (say, 20 minutes or so, which isn't very long at all), the effects of the restriction in blood flow is starting to show up. My foot didn't go numb per se, but I certainly lost a lot of feel in the foot.

-Rick

I busted my ankle up a couple of years ago in a car crash and the reason I got back into badminton was to see if I could strengthen it up and if it would still take the stresses of a game, the one thing I can comment on is that Cheung took the words right out of my mouth.

Correct footwork is essential, it will strengthen the ankle and also help with flexability in the long run. Secondly the correct footwear helps enormousley, I wear a lot of nike trainers with air bubbles on the outside to walk about normally and they are fine, but wear them to play or any other outdoor trainer then you will roll on your ankle and it will hurt previous accident or not.

Badminton trainers seem to have a very thin area between the floor and your foot to lower the centre of gravity and give maximum grip they also give one main thing STABILITY.

Kwun, I assume Janet is right handed since you have told her not to lead with her left leg. You do need to lead with your racket leg, why don'y you put her at the net in a lunge position and feed her forehand net shots so she gets used to the stationery end position for the shot and then move her just a little further back and alow her to make one step into the shot ending up in the same position as before. When the foorwork is natural move her slightly further back and try again. It's quite difficult for someone to move into the forehand net with the left first.

After this is mastered it's just the same principal for all other shots, take the movement out and introduce it a step at a time until it is natural.;)

As for braces, I tried a few but felt that they restricted movement and the tube grip or neoprene ones felt that they were too tight and just plain uncomfortable, heat build up was also a factor as well as the itching, if you wore a sock as well your trainer did not fit properly.

thanks Traum and Dill.

Traum, i too am using the nylon/elastic type after a recent injury. while it is less comfortable, it helps the support needed for me to recover. put it another way, if i were not injured, i will not be wearing the ankle brace.

some has mentioned that the extra support restricts breathing, i only find that to be marginal and wasn't affecting that much.

as for janet, after one year, she started experimenting with not using the ankle support. and she said she has find that she doesn't need the support anymore. she has gained enough strength to support herself.

Dill, we are doing many more footwork drills now than before, and Janet has mostly stopped using the wrong foot now. i hope she will finally forget all the bad habits she get from playing tennis...

Hi. I've injured my ankles a couple of times and my knees already generate a popping sound whenever I bend them ( all not ENTIRELY due to badminton). As a result, I've resulted to wearing ankle guards and a patellar wrap on my left knee. Some people would tell me to avoid using these as they just decrease flexibility and hamper my movements on court. But it seems that I can't do without them for fear of getting injured...and not being able to play for weeks;) . I'd like to know if wearing these neoprene wraps are indeed unadvisable.
Also, I've seen pictures of eye injuries and am considering wearing protective goggles also. Will these affect my view of the bird/court players etc? Comments?:)

Here's a link that should provide you with some information on braces and stuff:

http://www.badmintonforum.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6649&highlight=brace

I play with an elbow and a knee brace all the time, and quite frankly, I don't find them intrusive at all. However, I use braces that are made from polyester and rubber, as I find that the neoprene braces traps a lot of heat/sweat, thereby making it very uncomfortable to keep the brace on for a long time.

-Rick

Hello.
Neoprene ankle guards and knee guards are very good.
I wear them ever since I sprained my right ankle a few times.
They do not hamper movement and instead give you more confidence to retrieve and go for difficult shots.
One more thing is that neoprene type IMHO do not lose their elasticity that fast so the protective wear last long. :) :) :)

I suggest that anyone who has a "loose" ankle should invest in an ankle guard. It is very worth it.

Hi guys! My knee has been acting up lately. After I play badminton or do other physical activities, my knee cracks or pops a lot when i bend them and after the playing has finished, i feel a little ache on my right knee. The thing that confuses me is that its my right knee that's acting up, but I'm left handed and do have the proper footwork (always ending up with my left leg (racket leg) :confused: I have a knee pad but its the full, elastic type that makes my knee part sweat a lot. Will the open type knee support like the one Sigit is wearing provide enough support for my knees? :confused:

I am right handed and I have soreness in my left foot! Is this a coincidence or is it a trend?

This began to happen to men when I started doing body rotation and I had been wearing a knee guard for quite some time now.

My theory in this may have to do with improper landing, but since that you do have good footwork (which I don't), then it may be something else.

Anybody out there?

the kind of support you need depends on the kind of pain you have. if the pain is coming from the bottom of the knee cap you need the thinner support. I don't know exactly what it's called but it's supposed to prevent the knee cap from "falling down". it sort of looks like a thin strap usually with a piece of metal or hard plastic in the front. if the pain is coming from the sides of the knee cap you should use the big wrap around support. this prevents the joint from rolling side to side.

youe must use the proper support for it to be effective. take care of those knees if you want to be playing a long time. hope this helps.

the people who tell you to not wear the protective equipment are the lucky ones who don't need them. when you're feeling pain in your joints you should take action to protect them from further harm. I've been using ankle braces in all the sporting activities i engage in, even the lace up ankle braces with rigid supports for basketball. at first it feels funny but you'll get used to it and later on you'll thank your self when you feel that it actually prevented your ankle from a potential twist.

i use a garter strap for my ankle when playing badminton but i don't recommend it if you want it to last (only good for a couple of months but is cheap and is the thinnest support around)). neoprene is good but is a bit thick and hot. nike has a strap which looks good but i haven't tried it yet (can't find my size). it's black and feels like lycra. it has round bumps all over it and isn't too thick to warrant a bigger sized shoe. let me know how it feels if you get to try it:).

USE PROTECTIVE GEAR WHEN YOU'RE HURTING! you'll get used to it eventually and end up having more confidence because you know that you are protected when your going for a shot. besides if you want to be playing badminton 'til a ripe old age you have to save up your body coz it's the only one you've got;) peace!

Personally I think all those "guards" are not the best solution to your problem. I've had injuries on both my knees, me right ankle, and almost all the joints on my right arm from the shoulder down.

Giving them rest (anything from a week to a few months, depending on the seriousness of the injury) I find actually is the best solution, however, if you're not keen on resting, guards are the second best thing. But besides wearing guards, I suggest you go work out and increase your muscle strength because that will take away strains on your joints when your muscles are stronger.

Good luck finding a good guard, and hope you get better

As I went to work this morning, I think there could be one possible explaination for me, dunno if it applies to grahite or not, which is I get my knee sore from driving ie using manual gear, clutches etc.

Possible?

Originally posted by gritngrind74
the kind of support you need depends on the kind of pain you have. if the pain is coming from the bottom of the knee cap you need the thinner support. I don't know exactly what it's called but it's supposed to prevent the knee cap from "falling down". it sort of looks like a thin strap usually with a piece of metal or hard plastic in the front.

the pain at the bottom of knee cap is called petella tendonitis (or "Jumper's knee"). it is popularly believed to be an inflamation of the tendon going from the quad to the shin. but the more research i did on it, the less it points to inflammation. you can look at the following link and search for it in google for more references:

http://www.macrocap.com/Tendonitis/

anyway, i have been experiencing this pain in my left knee recently, and the pain is there all the time even during everyday activity. it gets worse after a long badminton session.

i have used the Pelleta wrap/strap and that seems to help a little bit. we regularly see pro who has a similar wrap on their knee as well.

other treatment recommended is rest and icing.

Originally posted by kwun
other treatment recommended is rest and icing.

Kwun, i thought icing was for cakes :rolleyes: ;) :D :p

hey guys i'm back for now! haha

well my knee had that problem during my junior year in high school... and below the knee cap on the tendon... my chiropractor said i had a stressed tendon and i had to go 4 times to him during a month for electroshock therapy... it helped... but if the pain was as bad as mine, i say you should go to a doctor and check it out and maybe they can temporarily fix it... altho my pain comes back every so often that i pick up my racquet... i need to play more T_T

Hi guys. Thanks for all your reply. One good thing about getting injuries though is that you get to be more careful and selective with your movements/foot work thereby increasing the efficiency of play. No one has said anything about goggles yet. Maybe it's because it isn't advisable? I actually don't see many players wearing them.:confused:

how about shoulder guard? i've injured by shoulder from swimming (butterfly stroke) few years back, and i'm still nursing the pain whenever i do hard smashes.

is there a support out there that can remove or lessen the pain? i'm not keen in having my shoulder undergo surgery. thanks!

Yes, the pain is right at the bottom part of my knee cap so it will most probably be petella tendonitis. Can anyone post pictures on the kind of knee support or brace I should get? Does it look like the black one Sigit is wearing in this picture on his right (racket) leg or is it the one on his left leg (the white one)?

http://www.badmintonplanet.com/gallery/albums/wc2003/sigit2.jpg

actually neither of the straps in the picture is the strap you need. the one you need is a thin strap about 2-3cm wide and wraps around the bottom of the knee cap only. the nike costs around P350 i think but there are cheaper brands. sorry i don't know how to post pics and besides i don't have a picture of it. if i find a picture i'll try to figure out how to post it.

the best advice i can give you is to go see a doctor. preferably an orthopedic surgeon, that's their specialty. i have a doctor in makati med his name is agripino javier. he's a good doctor. consult with him if you have the time. last time i went there he charged me P350 for consultation. don't know if he raised his rate:)

of course jchen is right. to actually get rid of the pain you have to strengthen the muscles around the affected area. protective gear, as the name denotes, is only used to protect yourself from FURTHER injury. it will not actually heal the injury. rest and muscle strengthening is the key to healing the joint completely. but if your like me who just can't do without my regular fix of badminton then protective gear is crucial while working on the injury.

about MAME32's post. i also have an ache in my shoulder when i smash but when i asked a doctor he said that there was a build up of fat in the area which impedes the movement of the joint hence the pain. he said it's a type of lymphoma. usually it's harmless but in some cases it could cause a little pain when it forms in the joint. he says the only way to cure it is to have it removed through surgery and like you, i'm not too keen on that so i just play through the pain.

anyway the point i'm trying to make is go see a doctor, a specialist would be better, i think the one you're looking for is an orthopedic surgeon. eventhough he's a surgeon it doesn't mean he'll recommend surgery right away. he'll probably give you some exercises or something to help out the problem area.