Physical Injuries in Volleyball

Friday July 5, 2024 is National Injury Prevention Day in Canada to raise awareness about the effects of predictable and preventable injuries.

No one wants to get injured while playing the sport that they love but it happens. We’ve taken this opportunity to review the typical injuries that occur with volleyball and how you might prevent them…

injuries at the 2024 provincial championships

In 2024, nearly 500 teams competed in 3 Youth Indoor Provincial Championships with thousands of athletes, referees, coaches, and spectators. We kept track of all injuries reported to the onsite first aid and physio providers so that we could build this snapshot of injuries that might occur at these type of events.

We had a total of 71 reported and treated injuries across the 3 weekends of Provincial Championships. The vast majority were Players and female which is unsurprising given the larger number of girls teams. Most injuries occurred on-court.

Approximately one-third of reported injuries affected the ankle, closely followed by the knee or hand. Just over 80% of the reported injuries involved sprains or strains to the muscle. Medical follow-up was recommended in around 35% of the injuries.

For more information on the statistics we found click here.

As part of our Safe Sport Action Plan, we will be tracking the data we collect on physical injuries during VBC events and activities. This will allow us to:

Identify and monitor any trends over time.
Review our events and activities for any adaptions or changes needed to minimise injuries.
Provide education and information to athletes, coaches, and referees about injury prevention.

Thank you to Vida First Aid and our other first aid and physio providers for capturing information and supporting this work.

USEFUL RESOURCES

In partnership with Kids Physio Group, we are excited to introduce new resources for common volleyball injuries. Check out these handy guides with signs and symptoms to watch for and treatment options for recovery.