When can I return to Basketball?​

 

As a rough guide,

• Start returning to non-contact basketball trainings once you get to level 3 of the exercises shown below.​

• Start returning to full contact basketball games once you get to level 5 of the exercises shown below. ​

• Again, gradually build up your exercise tolerance and time on the basketball court! Never train with pain!

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How to train to do so?​​​

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Late stage rehab / Return to Basketball stage:

Towards the later stage of rehabilitation, you should have restored adequate ankle range of motion, flexibility, strength, balance and body/postural control. Keep progressing those qualities in a long run!

Before returning to basketball, you must regain your ability to Running, Jumping, and Cutting efficiently at a bare minimum.

​​Below are different levels of plyometric exercises to help build up your foundation to those 3 qualities. The higher the level, the more advanced is the exercise. Note that these exercises are some examples, they are not the only choices you can do. 

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Pre-plyometric considerations:

• Pain should not be a concern. If pain still exists, regress the exercise and continue with pain-free exercises. 

• Able to tolerate moderate loading in strength exercises

• Perform functional lower body exercises with proper form

• Reached the ultimate goals of the previous early stage rehab exercises

These considerations are fairly subjective so always listen to your body! Don't rush the process!​​​​

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​Step 1: Landing mechanics (Don't need to spend extra time on them once efficient)

Key instructions: Land in a nice athletic position with slight knee and hip bent. 

Land on the balls of your feet

Lv1: Drop catch 

Lv2: Drop land from height (progress with higher box)

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Step 2: Extensive plyometrics (Can use as warm-up later on)

- Low intensity, longer duration, more repetitions (~10-15 reps per exercise)

Key instructions: Stay on the balls of your feet. Maintain that 'springy' feeling.

Lv1: Double leg mini pogo hops​

Lv2: Split stance mini pogo hops​​

Lv3: Single leg mini pogo hops

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Train different directions in each level (shown in video 14) 

• Vertical

• Sideways

• Forward/Backward​​​​

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​Step 3: Intensive plyometrics

- High intensity, shorter duration, less repetitions (~6-8 reps per exercise)

Key instruction: Get off 'pop off' the ground as fast and as forceful as possible.

Double leg: 

Lv1: High pogo jumps

Lv2: Tuck jumps

Lv3: Drop jumps +/- from height

Lv4: Broad jumps (triple consecutive broad jumps shown in video 15)

Lv5: 2-foot approach jump 

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Single leg:

Lv1: Alternate bounds

Lv2: Sideway 'push-off' bounds

Lv3: Bound into hop

Lv4: Continuous hops

Lv5: 1-2 step approach jump

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= Jumping

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Step 4: Change of directions 

- Same repetition principle as previous

- Lv1 extensive, Lv2-5 intensive

Key Instructions: Body position staying 'low' in the intensive ones. 

Lv1: Side gallops & carioca

Lv2a: Sideway slides (defensive slides)

Lv2b: Turning slides 

Lv3: Sideway cross step

Lv4a: Cross step into slide​

Lv4b: Continuous cross step into slide

Lv5: 10m side-to-side repeated sprints

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= Cutting

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Step 5: Sprints (Suggest to do them when you're most FRESH)

Aim: You want to develop both acceleration and top-end speed. Also,

train repeated sprint intervals given basketball consists of a lot of up/down 

running. Up/down sprint training allow you to decelerate from high

speed then re-accelerate, mimicking the situation in a basketball game. 

Key instructions: Max effort in your sprint training. Follow the dosage

guidelines shown below.

• Acceleration sprints

Distance per effort: 5-30m (meters)

Distance per session: 120-240m

Rest: 60s per 10m.

Key instructions: Push the ground away! Lead with your head!

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• Top-end speed sprints

Distance per effort: ~30-40m

Distance per session: 200-300m

Rest: 20-60s per 10m.

Key instructions: Run tall! Step over high grass!​

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• Repeated sprint intervals (x2 and x4 intervals were shown in video 18)

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= Running/Sprinting

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​How to set up my training program?

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Instructions:

- Choose one level from each step to work on.

- Prioritise your goals.

- You don't have to include every step in one session. Maximum 2-3 exercises in each category of your workout e.g. 2 plyometric exercise, 2 weight/lift exercises.

- Do it 2-3 times a week.

- Try to make changes or progress the exercise in around 3-4 weeks.

- Suggest to do plyometrics when you're fresh before your weights/lifts to optimise quality of movement.

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Example program 1 (Lower level. Goal: To improve change of direction)

• Warm up

1. 5 min exercise bike

2. Double leg extensive sideway pogos 2x15 

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• Plyometrics

1. Double leg tuck jumps 3x6

2. Forward alternate bounds 3x6

3. Sideway fast slides 3x8 each side

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• Weights/lifts

1. Barbell Romanian deadlift 3x8

2. Dumbbell side lunges 3x8 each side

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• Balance (additional)

1. Eyes open single leg standing with head turns 2x30sec each leg

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Example program 2 (Higher level. Goal: To improve running speed)

• Warm up

1. 5 min dynamic mobility

2. Double leg forward/backward pogos 2x12

3. SL extensive sideway pogos 1x15 each side 

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• Plyometrics

1. Acceleration sprints 6x20m

2. Continuous single leg hops 3x6

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• Weights/lifts

1. Dumbbell step ups 3x8 each side

2. Dumbbell curtsy lunges 3x8 each side​​

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Play the sport!

 

By now, you should have gotten a hang of the whole process of rehabilitation from the first day of your ankle injury to returning to basketball. You should be doing your rehab exercises at an early stage and more advanced exercises at the later stage as illustrated throughout this website. However, the plyometric exercises would only help you build a solid physical foundation for basketball. They would not be the main reason why you perform better in the sport. The best sport-specific exercise you could do to regain your basketball performance is basically PLAYING THE SPORT! Therefore, on top of the strength/plyometric exercise program, you should be playing/training basketball regularly, probably at a different time to prevent too much fatigue. At the beginning, you can start off with non-contact shooting or skill work before gradually progress your way back to contact scrimmages. Be mindful of the amount of time you are on the basketball court, make sure you're not doing too much too soon!

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