FIVB Medical Commission [email protected] Principles of Prevention and Treatment of Common Volleyball Injuries

Injuries are, regrettably, an unavoidable hazard of sports participation. Although volleyball and beach volleyball are by most estimates relatively safe sports – particularly in comparison to other sports such as football (soccer) – epidemiologic research has revealed that volleyball athletes are at risk for certain types of injuries. Serious injuries which interfere with the athlete’s ability to participate have obvious immediate consequences (time lost from training and competition) and may have long term implications as well (chronic disability and functional limitation). Coaches and trainers should therefore have an understanding of the most common volleyballrelated injuries in order to appreciate the potential impact injuries may have on the both on the athlete and the team.