Baskets and boundary lines should not be close to walls, fences, bleachers, or water fountains. The goals and the walls behind them should be padded. If your child plays outside, make sure the court is free of holes and debris. Above all, keep basketball fun. Putting too much focus on winning can make your child push too hard and risk injury.
Basketball is a popular sport, especially among children and young adults.
But the sport carries a risk for injury, whether played in an organized league or with friends on a local park court. More than 200,000 young people under age 15 are treated in hospital emergency departments each year for basketball-related injuries. This makes basketball the fourth leading cause of injury in both unorganized settings and organized community team sports. Injuries to basketball players are usually minor, mostly sprains and strains. The ankle and knee are the most common sites of injury, followed by the lower back, hand, and wrist.