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Following some safety rules can keep your games pain-free.

Basketball is a great form of exercise. But it's also a common cause of injury.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers the following tips for avoiding basketball injuries:

• Take time to warm up and stretch before you begin a game.
• Use shoes that fit snugly, offer support and have soles that prevent skidding.
• Wear knee and elbow pads.
• Use a mouth guard.
• Use safety glass or glass guards to protect prescription glasses.
• Take off any jewelry, and discard any gum.
• Keep the courts free of debris and other hazards.
• If outdoors, avoid playing in extreme weather.
• Make sure that the court boundaries are not too close to structures such as walls and bleachers and that goal posts and the walls behind them are padded.
• Know how to contact medical personnel in case of an emergency.

Reviewed 3/13/2024