15 Common Volleyball injuries (Prevention & Treatment)

Volleyball injuries explained one by one: ankle sprains, jammed fingers, jumper’s knee, shoulder trouble and ACL or MCL damage.

The list runs from the everyday finger and wrist sprains to concussions and overuse problems, each with its causes and warning signs, and closes with prevention pointers and an FAQ for players and coaches.

Injury Rates and Numbers

The figures below come from injury surveillance data and peer reviewed studies. Each row names the population it was measured in, because rates from elite athletes and from recreational players are not comparable.

Finding	Measured in	Source
In NCAA volleyball the injury rate was 7.07 per 1,000 athlete exposures for women and 4.69 for men.	NCAA men’s and women’s volleyball players, 2013-2014 through 2014-2015 academic years	Baugh CM et al., Descriptive Epidemiology of Injuries Sustained in NCAA Men’s and Women’s Volleyball, Sports Health (NCAA Injury Surveillance Program)
The ankle was the most commonly injured body part among time loss injuries in NCAA volleyball, at 25.8 percent in men and 24.3 percent in women.	NCAA men’s and women’s volleyball players, 2013-2014 through 2014-2015 academic years	Baugh CM et al., Descriptive Epidemiology of Injuries Sustained in NCAA Men’s and Women’s Volleyball, Sports Health (NCAA Injury Surveillance Program)
US emergency departments recorded an estimated 347,395 volleyball injuries in adolescents over ten years, and 78.9 percent of those patients were female.	US adolescent volleyball players, median age 15 years, 2013 to 2022	Volleyball Related Injuries in Adolescents: A Decade of Data, Orthopedic Reviews
Sprains and strains were the most common diagnosis in adolescent volleyball injuries treated in US emergency departments, with 151,364 cases (43.6 percent).	US adolescent volleyball players, median age 15 years, 2013 to 2022	Volleyball Related Injuries in Adolescents: A Decade of Data, Orthopedic Reviews
Across 15 studies of volleyball ACL injuries, about 85 to 97 percent happened without contact, and female players were 2 to 4 times more likely to be hurt.	volleyball players aged 10 to 70 across 15 studies (3,313,248 athletes), systematic review of literature published up to December 26, 2024	Understanding ACL injuries in volleyball: a systematic review of epidemiology and risk factors, Frontiers in Sports and Active Living (2025)

Overview

Injury	Body area	Typical time out
Ankle Sprains	Ankle	1 to 6 weeks, months if grade 3
Finger Injuries	Fingers	2 to 8 weeks, longer if fractured
Patellar Tendinitis (Jumper’s Knee)	Knee	3 to 12 months of managed load
Shoulder Injuries (including Thrower’s/Pitcher’s Shoulder)	Shoulder	6 weeks to 4 months, longer post op
ACL and MCL Injuries (knee)	Knee	1 to 8 weeks MCL, 9 to 12 months ACL
Wrist Sprains	Hand and wrist	2 to 6 weeks, 3 months if fractured
Back Injuries	Lower back	1 to 3 weeks, months if bone stress
Foot Injuries	Foot	6 weeks to 12 months by diagnosis
Facial Injuries	Face	Days to 6 weeks by injury
Collateral Ligament Injury	Knee	1 to 8 weeks, 3 months if grade 3
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (front of knee)	Knee	6 weeks to 6 months of managed load
Hand Injuries (such as fractures or dislocations due to ball impact)	Hand	2 weeks to 3 months
Concussions (possible from collisions or ball impact)	Head	1 to 4 weeks, longer if symptoms stay
Overuse Injuries (common due to the repetitive nature of the sport)	Knee, shoulder, and lower back	6 weeks to 6 months of modified load
Distal Biceps and Triceps Tendinopathy (Elbow)	Elbow	6 weeks to 6 months
Hip Labral Tear and Femoroacetabular Impingement	Hip	3 to 6 months
Cervical Strain and Whiplash from Diving and Collisions	Neck	1 to 3 weeks, longer with nerve pain
Hamstring Strain	Thigh	1 to 8 weeks, 3 months if severe
Ulnar Collateral Ligament Sprain of the Thumb (Skier’s Thumb)	Thumb	3 to 6 weeks, 3 months post op
Scalp Laceration and Head Contusion from Ball or Floor Impact	Head	Days to 2 weeks, longer with concussion
Rib Contusion and Intercostal Muscle Strain	Ribs and chest	2 to 8 weeks
Turf Toe (Sprain of the Big Toe Joint)	Toe	Days to 12 weeks by grade
Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (Shin Splints)	Shin	3 to 6 weeks, 3 months if fracture

Ankle Sprains

An ankle sprain overstretches or tears the ligaments on the outside of the joint, most often the anterior talofibular ligament. In volleyball it usually happens at the net, when a blocker or hitter comes down on an opponent’s or teammate’s foot and the ankle rolls inward under full body weight. Landings on an uneven foot position after a block or a lateral dig cause the same mechanism.

Symptoms

• Sharp pain on the outer side of the ankle at the moment of landing
• Swelling that builds within an hour and often turns into bruising
• Limping or an unwillingness to put full weight on the foot
• A feeling that the ankle gives way on cutting or jumping
• Tenderness when you press just below the bony bump on the outside

How serious it is: Sprains are graded 1 to 3: grade 1 is a stretch with mild swelling and near normal walking, grade 2 a partial tear with clear swelling and limping, grade 3 a complete tear with marked instability. Pain over the bone rather than the soft tissue, or an inability to take four steps, raises the question of a fracture.

Typical time out: One to three weeks for a grade 1 sprain, three to six weeks for a grade 2, and two to three months or longer for a grade 3 or when a fracture is involved. The spread is wide because return depends less on pain than on regaining jump and landing control, and because a previously sprained ankle heals slower.

See a doctor if: See a clinician if you cannot bear weight for four steps, if the ankle looks deformed, or if pain sits directly on the bone rather than on the soft tissue.

What helps

• Load the ankle early within a pain limit instead of resting it completely, since protected walking speeds recovery
• Short cooling in the first hours for pain relief only
• Balance and proprioception work on one leg, progressing to unstable surfaces and then to jump landings
• An ankle brace or taping for the first months back on court, which measurably lowers the chance of a repeat sprain
• Imaging when the Ottawa ankle rules are positive, meaning bone tenderness or inability to walk

Finger Injuries

Blocking drives the ball into the fingertip along the axis of the finger, which loads the collateral ligaments and the volar plate of the middle joint, and can chip the bone at the joint edge. Setting with a poorly timed hand shape and diving with an outstretched hand produce the same jamming force. A ball that catches an extended fingertip can also rupture the extensor tendon at its insertion, which is the classic mallet finger.

Symptoms

• Immediate pain in one finger after a block or a set, often described as a jam
• Swelling around a single knuckle that makes the ring feel tight
• The finger sits crooked or cannot be straightened fully
• Pain when you press the side of the joint or try to bend it against resistance
• The fingertip droops and will not lift on its own

How serious it is: A simple sprain of the middle joint is stiff and swollen but stable. A partial or complete collateral ligament tear opens up when the joint is stressed sideways, and a dislocation, an avulsion fracture, or a mallet finger belong to the serious group because they change the way the finger heals and often need splinting in a defined position.

Typical time out: Players often keep playing with a taped simple jam, while a stable sprain settles over two to six weeks. Mallet finger needs six to eight weeks of continuous splinting, and a displaced fracture or an unstable dislocation can take three months or more. Stiffness in the joint usually outlasts the pain by several months.

See a doctor if: Get the finger looked at the same day if it is visibly bent or twisted, if the tip will not straighten, or if the skin over the joint is broken.

What helps

• Early assessment by a clinician for any crooked, drooping, or unstable finger, since the first two weeks decide the outcome
• Buddy taping to the neighboring finger for stable sprains, which allows movement while limiting sideways stress
• An X ray when pain sits on the bone or the joint will not move, before taping it and playing on
• Gentle bending and straightening within days once a fracture has been ruled out, to prevent a stiff joint
• Hand therapy when the joint is still swollen and limited after a few weeks

Patellar Tendinitis (Jumper’s Knee)

The patellar tendon connects the kneecap to the shin bone and takes the load every time you brake and push off. In volleyball the tendon is loaded hardest during the landing of a spike or block, when it absorbs energy while lengthening, and this repeated eccentric load makes the tissue at the lower pole of the kneecap degenerate. It is a tendinopathy, meaning a change in tendon structure, not a simple inflammation.

Symptoms

• A well defined pain at the lower edge of the kneecap that you can point to with one finger
• Pain at the start of a session that eases when warm and returns worse afterwards
• Discomfort going down stairs, sitting for long periods, or squatting
• Loss of jump height and confidence when landing
• Stiffness in the knee the morning after a hard training day

How serious it is: The mild form hurts only after activity and does not limit play, the middle form hurts at the start of a session and settles once warm, and the severe form hurts during play and stops the jump. A tendon that hurts constantly and swells has usually been loaded through pain for months and takes far longer to settle.

Typical time out: Rarely a clean break from the sport, more a period of reduced jumping. Expect three to six months of structured loading for a moderate case and up to a year for a long standing one. The range is wide because tendon tissue adapts slowly and the main variable is how consistently the loading program is followed.

See a doctor if: Sudden severe pain during a jump with an inability to straighten the knee against gravity points to a tendon rupture and needs same day care.

What helps

• Heavy slow resistance or eccentric work such as decline squats, continued through acceptable pain, as the main treatment
• Cutting jump volume rather than stopping altogether, since complete rest weakens the tendon further
• Building calf, quadriceps, and hip strength so the landing is shared across the leg
• Landing technique work that increases hip and knee bend and softens the contact
• Corticosteroid injection only as an exception, since it relieves pain briefly but is associated with worse long term outcomes in tendinopathy

Shoulder Injuries (including Thrower’s/Pitcher’s Shoulder)

Serving and spiking take the arm into extreme external rotation and then whip it forward, which loads the rotator cuff tendons, in particular the supraspinatus and infraspinatus, and stresses the labrum at the back of the socket. Over a season the back of the shoulder capsule tightens and the shoulder blade shifts position, so the cuff tendons get compressed between the humeral head and the acromion. Traction on the suprascapular nerve in the spiking arm can also weaken the infraspinatus.

Symptoms

• Pain deep in the shoulder or at its outer side during the arm swing
• A dead arm feeling or loss of speed on the spike late in a match
• Pain when reaching overhead or when lying on that shoulder at night
• Weakness when rotating the arm outward against resistance
• Visible hollowing of the muscle behind the shoulder blade over time

How serious it is: Most cases are an overload of the cuff with an irritable but intact tendon, which responds to loading and technique work. A partial or full thickness tear, a labral tear, or a nerve related loss of external rotation strength sit at the serious end, because strength does not return with training alone.

Typical time out: Six weeks to four months for an irritable cuff managed with a rehabilitation program, six to twelve months after a labral or cuff repair. The spread reflects that overhead sport requires far more than a pain free shoulder in daily life before serving is safe.

See a doctor if: Persistent night pain at rest, clear weakness rather than pain when lifting the arm, or numbness down the arm all warrant a medical assessment.

What helps

• Progressive rotator cuff and scapular strengthening, with emphasis on external rotation and the lower trapezius
• Stretching the tight back of the shoulder, for example the sleeper or cross body stretch
• Reducing serving and hitting volume for a defined period rather than pushing through the swing
• Technique review of the arm swing and trunk rotation, since a shoulder that has to do the work of the hips overloads quickly
• Imaging and a specialist opinion if weakness persists after several weeks of rehabilitation

ACL and MCL Injuries (knee)

The anterior cruciate ligament stops the shin bone sliding forward and controls rotation, while the medial collateral ligament resists the knee collapsing inward. In volleyball the ACL usually tears without any contact, when a player lands from a block or spike on a nearly straight leg with the knee falling inward, or cuts sharply on a planted foot. A blow to the outside of the knee or a sudden inward buckle stresses the MCL.

Symptoms

• A pop or snap felt at the moment of landing
• The knee gives way and you cannot continue the rally
• Swelling within a few hours that makes the knee feel tight
• Pain along the inner side of the knee with MCL involvement
• A sense that the knee shifts or is not to be trusted on turns

How serious it is: MCL injuries are graded 1 to 3 by how far the joint opens on testing, and most grade 1 and 2 tears heal without surgery. The ACL is either partially or completely torn, and a complete tear does not heal back together. Research across volleyball studies found that roughly 85 to 97 percent of ACL injuries happened without contact and that female players were 2 to 4 times more likely to be affected.

Typical time out: One to three weeks for a grade 1 MCL, four to eight weeks for a grade 2, and nine to twelve months after ACL reconstruction. The long range after an ACL reflects that return to jumping and cutting is decided by strength and hop test symmetry, not by the calendar.

See a doctor if: A pop with rapid swelling and a knee that gives way, or a knee that locks and cannot be straightened, needs assessment within days.

What helps

• Early clinical examination, since a swollen knee after a pop is an ACL tear until proven otherwise
• A hinged brace and graded loading for isolated MCL tears, which usually heal without surgery
• Neuromuscular training with jump and landing drills, which lowers ACL injury rates in jumping sports
• Quadriceps and hamstring strength work with objective side to side comparison before returning
• MRI when the knee stays swollen, unstable, or blocked after the first days

Wrist Sprains

Diving and blocking force the wrist into sudden extension, which strains the ligaments between the small carpal bones, particularly the scapholunate ligament, and the cartilage complex on the little finger side. Repeated hard passing with the forearms and hitting the ball off balance load the same structures. A fall on the outstretched hand can fracture the scaphoid, which is easy to mistake for a sprain.

Symptoms

• Pain in the wrist when you push up from the floor or bear weight on the hand
• Swelling on the back of the wrist and loss of full bend
• A click or clunk on rotating the forearm
• Weak grip when opening a bottle or holding the ball
• Tenderness in the hollow at the base of the thumb

How serious it is: A stretched ligament is painful but stable and settles with protected loading. A complete scapholunate tear or an undetected scaphoid fracture is the serious form, because both can lead to long term wrist arthritis if they are treated as a simple sprain.

Typical time out: Two to six weeks for a straightforward sprain, six to twelve weeks in a cast for a scaphoid fracture, and several months after ligament surgery. Wrist pain from repeated hitting often lingers because the hand keeps being used in daily life.

See a doctor if: Tenderness in the hollow at the thumb side of the wrist after a fall on the hand suggests a scaphoid fracture and needs imaging even if the X ray first looks normal.

What helps

• A wrist support or taping that limits extreme extension while you keep training the rest of the body
• Grip and forearm strengthening once the sharp pain has gone
• Reviewing passing and hitting technique so the ball is met with a firm platform rather than a bent wrist
• Imaging early if there is bone tenderness, a clunk, or pain that does not improve within two weeks
• Hand therapy for a wrist that remains weak or painful after a month

Back Injuries

The spike and the jump serve arch the lower back and then rotate it at speed, which loads the small facet joints and the pars interarticularis, the thin bony bridge in the vertebral arch. In young players this repeated extension can produce a stress reaction or stress fracture there, known as spondylolysis. In older players the same movement more often strains the muscles and irritates the disc or facet joints.

Symptoms

• One sided pain in the lower back that increases with arching or serving
• Stiffness after sitting or in the morning
• Muscle spasm that pulls you to one side
• Pain when standing on one leg and leaning back
• Pain, tingling, or numbness travelling into the buttock or leg

How serious it is: A muscular strain hurts on movement, eases within days, and does not radiate. A bony stress injury typically causes one sided pain that has crept up over weeks and hurts on extension, and it is important to identify it because it needs a real break from loading. Pain running down the leg with numbness or weakness points to nerve involvement.

Typical time out: One to three weeks for a muscular strain, three to six months for a confirmed stress fracture of the pars, and highly variable for disc related pain. The range is wide because bone healing cannot be rushed while a muscle strain settles quickly.

See a doctor if: Numbness in the groin area, loss of bladder or bowel control, or progressive leg weakness is an emergency; one sided back pain in a teenager lasting more than two weeks needs imaging.

What helps

• Staying active with walking and gentle movement instead of bed rest
• Trunk and hip strengthening that teaches the athlete to arch from the hips rather than the lumbar spine
• Hip flexor and thoracic spine mobility work, so the upper back supplies more of the arch in the spike
• Reducing serving and hitting volume for a defined period and rebuilding it gradually
• MRI rather than plain X ray when a bony stress injury is suspected in a young player

Foot Injuries

The plantar fascia is a thick band running from the heel bone to the toes and takes tension every time you push off, so repeated jumping and landing on a hard court can irritate it at its heel attachment. The same repeated impact can create a stress fracture in a metatarsal, most often the second or third, and the big toe joint can be sprained when the toe is forced upward on a hard push off.

Symptoms

• Sharp heel pain with the first steps in the morning that eases after walking
• A pinpoint sore spot on the top of the forefoot that hurts when you press it
• Pain that comes on during jumping and lingers after the session
• Swelling on the top of the foot after training
• Pain when pushing off the ball of the foot to jump

How serious it is: Plantar fasciopathy is painful and stubborn but not dangerous. A stress fracture is more serious, especially in the fifth metatarsal or the navicular, because those sites heal poorly and can progress to a complete break if you keep playing on them.

Typical time out: Three to twelve months for plantar heel pain managed with loading, six to eight weeks in a boot for most metatarsal stress fractures, and longer for high risk sites. The spread is wide because a stress fracture has a defined healing time while heel pain depends on load management.

See a doctor if: A pinpoint bone pain that hurts when you hop and gets worse each session, rather than easing with warm up, needs imaging before you play on.

What helps

• Progressive calf and foot strengthening, for example heel raises with the toes elevated, done slowly and continued for months
• Cutting jump volume and adding softer surfaces during the worst phase
• Shoes with adequate cushioning that are replaced when the midsole is flat, plus an insole if the arch collapses
• Toe and calf flexibility work before and after sessions
• Imaging when the pain is on the bone rather than the fascia, since a stress fracture is a load problem, not a stretching problem

Facial Injuries

A spiked ball reaches high speed over a short distance, and a face taking that impact absorbs it through the nasal bones, the thin bone of the eye socket floor, and the cheekbone. Collisions with a teammate chasing the same ball, or with the floor during a dive, produce the same fractures plus cuts to the eyebrow and lip. The eye itself can be bruised by the ball, which is a hyphema.

Symptoms

• Immediate pain and rapid swelling around the nose, cheek, or eye
• Nosebleed or a nose that looks pushed to one side
• Double vision or trouble looking upward after a hit to the eye socket
• Numbness in the cheek or upper lip
• A cut that keeps bleeding or gapes open

How serious it is: Most facial contact leads to a bruise or a nosebleed that settles in days. The serious group includes a nasal fracture with deformity, an orbital floor fracture, blood inside the front of the eye, and any teeth that are loosened or knocked out, all of which need care within hours.

Typical time out: Days for a simple bruise or nosebleed, two to three weeks for a stitched cut, and four to six weeks of no contact after a nasal or orbital fracture. Anything involving the eye is guided by the ophthalmologist rather than a general timeline.

See a doctor if: Double vision, a change in vision, blood visible inside the eye, numbness of the cheek, or a nose that is visibly out of line all need same day medical care.

What helps

• Prompt assessment for any injury involving the eye, vision, or a deformed nose
• Short cooling and an upright position for the first hours to limit swelling
• Pinching the soft part of the nose and leaning forward to stop a nosebleed, rather than tipping the head back
• Wound closure within the first hours for cuts, since late closure heals with a wider scar
• A mouthguard for players who have already had a dental injury, and prescription sports glasses rather than everyday frames

Collateral Ligament Injury

The medial collateral ligament runs along the inner side of the knee and resists the joint being pushed inward, while the lateral collateral ligament on the outside resists the opposite. In volleyball these are stressed when a landing foot is planted and the knee collapses inward, or when a player lands on someone else’s foot and the whole leg is pushed sideways. The MCL is by far the more commonly injured of the two.

Symptoms

• Pain along the inner or outer seam of the knee rather than deep inside it
• Swelling on that side of the joint, usually more modest than after a cruciate tear
• A feeling that the knee will buckle sideways when you change direction
• Pain when the knee is bent slightly and pushed sideways
• Difficulty fully straightening the knee in the first days

How serious it is: Graded 1 to 3: grade 1 is a stretch with tenderness and a firm end point, grade 2 a partial tear with some opening on testing, grade 3 a complete tear with clear opening. Grade 3 injuries frequently come with an ACL or meniscus tear, which changes the plan entirely.

Typical time out: One to three weeks for grade 1, four to eight weeks for grade 2, and two to three months for grade 3, longer if another structure is torn as well. Isolated collateral injuries heal well because the ligament has a good blood supply.

See a doctor if: A knee that swells within an hour, gives way, or cannot be straightened suggests more than a collateral injury and should be examined.

What helps

• A hinged brace for grades 2 and 3 that allows bending while blocking sideways stress
• Early range of motion and weight bearing within pain limits, since immobilizing the knee stiffens it
• Quadriceps, hamstring, and hip abductor strengthening to control the inward collapse that caused the injury
• Landing and cutting drills before return, with the knee tracking over the foot
• MRI when the joint opens up clearly on testing or when swelling suggests a combined injury

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (front of knee)

Pain arises where the back of the kneecap glides in its groove on the thigh bone, and it is a load problem in that joint surface rather than a single damaged structure. Deep defensive stances, repeated squatting to dig, and thousands of landings compress the joint, and weakness in the hip and thigh lets the knee drift inward so the pressure concentrates on one facet of the kneecap.

Symptoms

• Diffuse ache around or behind the kneecap that is hard to point to
• Pain going down stairs and after long sitting with bent knees
• Discomfort in a deep defensive position or when squatting
• Grinding or creaking on bending the knee
• Pain that builds during a session rather than starting with one incident

How serious it is: The mild form appears only after long sessions or long sitting, the moderate form limits squatting and stairs in daily life, and the severe form makes every landing painful. There is no grading system, and severity is judged by how much the pain limits function.

Typical time out: Usually no full break from play, but six weeks to six months of adjusted load and strength work. The wide range exists because the pain reacts quickly to a change in training load but the underlying strength deficit takes months to fix.

See a doctor if: A knee that locks, gives way, or swells clearly points to something other than patellofemoral pain and should be examined.

What helps

• Hip abductor and quadriceps strengthening, which has the best evidence for this problem
• Reducing the aggravating load, meaning deep squatting and jump volume, without stopping all activity
• Retraining landings and squats so the knee stays over the second toe rather than dropping inward
• Taping or a simple sleeve for short term pain relief while the strength work takes effect
• Physical therapy when three months of self directed work has not changed anything

Hand Injuries (such as fractures or dislocations due to ball impact)

A blocked ball transmits force straight down a finger into the metacarpal bones of the hand, which can crack the neck of a metacarpal or dislocate a knuckle joint. Falling onto the hand during a dive loads the same bones plus the small carpal bones at the wrist. The thumb metacarpal is vulnerable when the ball forces the thumb backward and outward.

Symptoms

• Swelling across the back of the hand rather than in one finger
• A knuckle that looks flattened or sits lower than its neighbors
• Pain when you make a fist or grip anything firmly
• Fingers that cross over each other when you bend them
• Bruising that spreads across the palm or back of the hand over a day or two

How serious it is: A bruise or a stable undisplaced crack heals well with a short period of protection. A displaced or rotated fracture, an open injury, or a dislocation that will not go back in place is serious, because a rotational error of a few degrees at the bone becomes a large crossover at the fingertip.

Typical time out: Two to three weeks for a bruise, four to six weeks for a stable metacarpal fracture, and six weeks to three months when the bone is fixed surgically. Return often depends on whether the sport requires the hand to take ball impact, which it does in volleyball.

See a doctor if: If the fingers cross over each other when you make a fist, if a knuckle has disappeared, or if the hand is numb, see a clinician the same day.

What helps

• An X ray for any hand that swells across the back after impact, before assuming it is a bruise
• Splinting in the safe position, with the knuckles bent, rather than with the hand flat
• Starting finger movement as soon as the injury is stable, since the hand stiffens quickly
• Hand therapy to restore grip and full fist after the protection period
• Protective taping when returning to blocking, and a stepwise reintroduction of ball contact

Concussions (possible from collisions or ball impact)

A concussion is a disturbance of brain function caused by a force transmitted to the head, without visible structural damage on standard imaging. In volleyball it comes from a spiked ball to the head, a collision between two players pursuing the same ball, or a head strike on the floor during a dive. Loss of consciousness happens in only a minority of cases, so the absence of it proves nothing.

Symptoms

• Headache or a pressure feeling in the head
• Dizziness, feeling slowed down, or being in a fog
• Nausea, sensitivity to light or noise
• Trouble concentrating or remembering the sequence of the play
• Feeling unusually emotional, irritable, or unable to sleep normally

How serious it is: Grading systems have been abandoned; a concussion is judged by how symptoms develop over the following days. Symptoms lasting beyond four weeks are called persisting post concussive symptoms, and a second impact before recovery is the situation to avoid at all costs.

Typical time out: A minimum of one to two weeks in adults and two to four weeks in adolescents before full contact, and considerably longer if symptoms persist. The range depends on symptom resolution rather than a fixed clock, and a previous concussion lengthens it.

See a doctor if: Repeated vomiting, worsening headache, seizure, unequal pupils, slurred speech, or increasing drowsiness after a head impact requires emergency care.

What helps

• Removing the player from the court immediately and not returning the same day, whatever they say
• Relative rest for 24 to 48 hours, then light aerobic activity such as walking or a stationary bike below the symptom threshold
• Limiting screens and cognitive load in the first days without lying in a dark room for a week
• A stepwise return to school or work before a stepwise return to play, with medical clearance before contact
• Referral for vestibular or cervical therapy when dizziness or neck pain dominates after the first two weeks

Overuse Injuries (common due to the repetitive nature of the sport)

Overuse injuries develop when tissue is loaded more often than it can adapt, so tendon, bone, or cartilage gradually breaks down without any single incident. In volleyball the repeated eccentric landing loads the patellar and Achilles tendons, the arm swing loads the rotator cuff, and the arching serve loads the vertebral arch. The trigger is usually a jump in training volume, a new position, or a season with overlapping club and school teams.

Symptoms

• Pain that starts vaguely and can be traced back to a change in training load
• Discomfort at the start of a session that eases with warm up and returns afterwards
• Pain that has crept from after training to during training over weeks
• Morning stiffness in the affected area
• Falling jump height, serving speed, or willingness to hit at full effort

How serious it is: The useful scale is functional: pain after activity only, pain during activity without limiting it, pain that limits performance, and pain in daily life. Moving down that list means the tissue is losing ground and load has to change rather than be pushed through.

Typical time out: Rarely a complete stop, more a phase of six weeks to six months of modified training. Bone stress injuries are the exception and need a genuine break from impact, typically six to twelve weeks.

See a doctor if: Pain that sits directly on bone, wakes you at night, or is present when you walk normally has moved beyond a tendon problem and needs assessment.

What helps

• Tracking jump and hitting volume across all teams a player belongs to, and raising it in small steps
• Loading the affected tendon progressively rather than resting it, since tendons need load to remodel
• Building general strength in the off season so tissue tolerance rises before the volume does
• A defined offseason of at least a couple of months without volleyball specific loading each year
• Sleep and nutrition adequate for the training load, particularly in adolescents and in athletes with irregular menstrual cycles

Distal Biceps and Triceps Tendinopathy (Elbow)

The triceps tendon inserts on the point of the elbow and decelerates the forearm at the end of the arm swing, while the common extensor tendon on the outer side of the elbow takes tension every time the wrist is braced against ball contact. Repeated hard spiking loads both, so the tendon at the insertion becomes painful and thickened. Diving onto the point of the elbow can also inflame the bursa that sits over the bone there.

Symptoms

• Pain at the back or outer side of the elbow during the spike follow through
• Tenderness when you press the bony point or the outer edge of the elbow
• Weak grip or pain when lifting with the palm down
• A soft swollen lump over the point of the elbow after diving sessions
• Stiffness in the elbow the morning after hitting

How serious it is: Most cases are a tendon overload that settles with loading and a reduction in hitting volume. A sudden pop with weakness in straightening or bending the elbow suggests a tendon rupture, and a hot, red, rapidly growing bursa suggests infection, both of which need prompt care.

Typical time out: Six weeks to six months of managed hitting volume for tendinopathy, one to three weeks for a simple bursitis, and several months after surgical repair of a ruptured tendon. Tendon problems at the elbow drag on when players keep serving through them.

See a doctor if: A pop with sudden weakness, or an elbow that is hot, red, and swollen with fever, needs medical assessment without delay.

What helps

• Progressive loading of the triceps and forearm extensors, held for several months
• Cutting serving and spiking repetitions rather than stopping all training
• Checking the arm swing so the shoulder and trunk supply the power instead of the elbow snapping through
• A forearm strap for outer elbow pain as a short term aid, not a solution
• Padded sleeves for players who dive frequently on a hard court

Hip Labral Tear and Femoroacetabular Impingement

The labrum is a ring of cartilage that deepens the hip socket and seals the joint. Deep defensive stances, repeated squatting to dig, and the wide split landing after a block push the hip into extreme bending and rotation, so the neck of the thigh bone repeatedly meets the socket rim and pinches the labrum. Where the bone shape already leaves less clearance, this impingement builds up over years.

Symptoms

• A deep pain in the front of the hip or groin, often shown by cupping the hip with a C shaped hand
• Pain in a deep defensive stance or when sitting low for a long time
• Clicking, catching, or a feeling that the hip locks momentarily
• Stiffness pulling the knee toward the chest or rotating the leg inward
• Pain when getting out of a car or putting on socks

How serious it is: Mild impingement causes stiffness and pain only in deep positions. A torn labrum adds catching and locking, and long standing impingement can wear the joint cartilage, which is the point at which the outlook changes from a training problem to a joint problem.

Typical time out: Three to six months of rehabilitation for symptoms managed without surgery, four to six months after arthroscopic labral repair before full jumping and cutting. The range is wide because pain often settles long before hip strength and control do.

See a doctor if: A hip that locks and will not move, or groin pain that starts after a fall and prevents weight bearing, needs imaging rather than watchful waiting.

What helps

• Strengthening the deep hip rotators and glutes to control the joint through range
• Avoiding the deepest and most rotated positions during the irritable phase
• Adjusting defensive stance depth and landing width in training
• Physical therapy targeted at hip control rather than general stretching of the groin, which often provokes it
• MRI arthrogram and a specialist opinion when mechanical catching persists after months of rehabilitation

Cervical Strain and Whiplash from Diving and Collisions

Diving for a dig throws the head backward and then forward, straining the muscles and small facet joint capsules of the cervical spine. A collision with a teammate or a ball striking the side of the head produces the same rapid side bending. Repeated extension while tracking the ball overhead also loads the facet joints at the base of the neck.

Symptoms

• Neck stiffness and pain that is worse the morning after the incident
• Pain when turning the head to track the ball
• Headache starting at the base of the skull
• Muscle spasm across the top of the shoulders
• Tingling or numbness running into the arm or hand

How serious it is: A simple muscular strain is painful and stiff but the neck moves in all directions. Pain with numbness, weakness in the arm, or midline bone tenderness after an impact is the serious form, because it raises the question of nerve or bone involvement.

Typical time out: One to three weeks for a straightforward strain, six weeks or more when nerve symptoms are present. Recovery is slower in players who protect the neck by not moving it, so early gentle motion matters.

See a doctor if: Numbness, weakness, tenderness over the midline of the spine, or pain after a heavy collision means the player stays still and is assessed before moving.

What helps

• Early gentle range of motion rather than a collar, which prolongs stiffness
• Deep neck flexor and upper back strengthening once acute pain has eased
• Short term heat and simple pain relief so the neck can be moved
• Reviewing diving technique so the chin tucks and the shoulder takes the landing
• Imaging and a medical assessment when arm symptoms or midline bone pain are present

Hamstring Strain

The hamstrings run from the sitting bone to below the knee and work hardest while lengthening, when they slow the lower leg and control the trunk. In volleyball the strain typically happens in a sprint to chase a ball out of court, in a lunging pursuit toward the net, or when a leg shoots forward on a slide to the floor. The biceps femoris on the outer side of the thigh is the usual site.

Symptoms

• A sudden grabbing pain at the back of the thigh during a sprint or lunge
• Pain when you reach forward to touch the toes with the leg straight
• Tenderness in a defined spot at the back of the thigh
• Bruising down the back of the thigh over the following days
• Difficulty accelerating or pushing off on that leg

How serious it is: Graded 1 to 3: grade 1 is a minor strain with little strength loss, grade 2 a partial tear with clear weakness and pain on resisted bending, grade 3 a complete tear or an avulsion at the sitting bone, often with a palpable gap. Injuries close to the sitting bone take longest, whatever the grade.

Typical time out: One to three weeks for a grade 1, four to eight weeks for a grade 2, and three months or more for a grade 3 or an avulsion needing surgery. The wide range reflects the location of the tear along the muscle as much as the grade.

See a doctor if: A pop with a visible gap in the muscle, inability to walk, or numbness down the leg needs medical assessment.

What helps

• Eccentric hamstring work such as Nordic curls, which lowers reinjury rates when maintained
• Loading the muscle early within a pain limit rather than resting until pain free
• Lengthened position strengthening, for example Romanian deadlifts, before return to sprinting
• A graded running progression, with sprinting reintroduced last
• Ultrasound or MRI when a gap can be felt or when the injury sits high near the sitting bone

Ulnar Collateral Ligament Sprain of the Thumb (Skier’s Thumb)

The ulnar collateral ligament runs along the inner side of the thumb base and stops the thumb splaying away from the hand. A ball hitting the tip of an extended thumb during a block or a set forces it sideways and stretches or tears that ligament, and the same happens when a diving hand catches on the floor. The torn end can flip above a tendon, which then blocks healing.

Symptoms

• Pain at the web between the thumb and index finger after ball contact
• Swelling and bruising at the base of the thumb
• Weakness when pinching or holding a bottle cap
• A feeling that the thumb wobbles sideways
• A small tender lump at the inner side of the thumb base

How serious it is: A partial tear is painful but the joint remains stable when tested sideways. A complete tear opens up clearly and, when the ligament end has displaced, will not heal without surgery, which is why an unstable thumb should not simply be taped and played on.

Typical time out: Three to six weeks in a thumb spica splint for a stable partial tear, and eight to twelve weeks after surgical repair of a complete tear. Playing with a protective splint is often possible earlier than full unprotected use.

See a doctor if: A thumb that can be pushed sideways further than the other side, or grip strength that is clearly reduced, should be examined within days rather than taped.

What helps

• Clinical stability testing early, since the decision between splinting and surgery is made in the first weeks
• A thumb spica splint that leaves the fingertip free for stable injuries
• Pinch and grip strengthening once the ligament has healed
• Protective taping around the thumb base for the first months back at the net
• Referral to a hand specialist for any thumb that tests unstable

Scalp Laceration and Head Contusion from Ball or Floor Impact

The scalp has a rich blood supply and sits directly on bone, so a spiked ball or a head striking the floor during a dive splits the skin over the skull and bleeds heavily even from a small cut. The same impact bruises the tissue between skin and bone, which produces a raised lump. Any impact strong enough to do this also has to be checked for a concussion.

Symptoms

• Bleeding from the scalp that looks out of proportion to the size of the cut
• A raised firm lump at the impact point
• Local tenderness when touching or washing the area
• Headache confined to the impact site
• A pale or dizzy feeling from the sight of the bleeding rather than the injury itself

How serious it is: A shallow cut with a stable, alert player is a wound care problem. A cut over a step or dent in the bone, an expanding lump, or any change in awareness moves it into the serious group, because the concern is then the skull and the brain rather than the skin.

Typical time out: A few days for a bruise, seven to ten days until stitches come out, and longer if a concussion is diagnosed alongside it. Return to play depends on the head injury assessment, not on the wound.

See a doctor if: Confusion, repeated vomiting, a step or dent felt in the bone under the cut, or clear fluid from the nose or ear requires emergency assessment.

What helps

• Firm direct pressure with a clean pad for ten uninterrupted minutes to stop the bleeding
• Closure by a clinician within the first hours for anything more than a superficial cut
• A concussion assessment for every head impact, even when the visible injury is only skin deep
• Keeping the wound clean and dry and watching for spreading redness in the following days
• Checking tetanus cover for a wound contaminated on an outdoor or sand court

Rib Contusion and Intercostal Muscle Strain

Landing chest first on a dive or taking a spiked ball to the side bruises the rib and the muscle attachments over it, and can crack a rib. The intercostal muscles between the ribs are also strained by the forceful trunk rotation and side bending of the arm swing, particularly on a hard jump serve. Because breathing moves the ribs, this pain does not get a rest.

Symptoms

• Sharp pain on one side of the chest with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing
• Pain when rotating the trunk or reaching overhead on that side
• A distinct tender point along a rib or between two ribs
• Pain rolling over in bed or getting up from lying
• Shallow breathing to avoid the pain

How serious it is: A bruise or muscle strain is painful but breathing is otherwise normal. A rib fracture is more serious, and a fracture with shortness of breath, a fall in oxygen, or increasing breathlessness can mean the lung is involved, which is an emergency.

Typical time out: Two to four weeks for a contusion or intercostal strain, four to eight weeks for a fractured rib. Contact with the ball is usually the last thing to return, since a mistimed dig into the chest restarts the pain.

See a doctor if: Shortness of breath, coughing blood, or pain that worsens rather than eases over the first days needs urgent assessment.

What helps

• Adequate pain relief so you can breathe deeply, since shallow breathing invites a chest infection
• Deep breathing exercises several times a day rather than splinting the chest
• Avoiding rotation and overhead loading until pain on breathing has gone
• Gradual reintroduction of trunk rotation and then serving
• A chest X ray when the impact was heavy or breathing is affected

Turf Toe (Sprain of the Big Toe Joint)

Turf toe is a sprain of the ligament complex under the big toe joint, the plantar plate, which is stretched when the toe is forced upward while the heel is off the ground. In volleyball this happens on the final push off of the spike approach, on a hard block jump, and when a foot catches during a lateral shuffle on a grippy court. The same joint can also be jammed by a stubbed toe against a teammate’s shoe.

Symptoms

• Pain under and around the base of the big toe
• Swelling and bruising at the ball of the foot
• Pain when the toe is pulled upward
• Difficulty pushing off to jump or sprint
• A tendency to roll onto the outside of the foot to avoid loading the toe

How serious it is: Graded 1 to 3: grade 1 is a stretch with local tenderness and normal push off, grade 2 a partial tear with clear swelling and limited push off, grade 3 a complete tear with marked swelling, bruising, and an inability to push off. Grade 3 injuries can involve the small sesamoid bones under the joint.

Typical time out: A few days to two weeks for grade 1, three to six weeks for grade 2, and eight to twelve weeks or more for grade 3. It is a frequently underestimated injury that becomes chronic when players return to jumping too early.

See a doctor if: Inability to push off the big toe, heavy bruising under the joint, or pain that has not improved in two weeks needs imaging to exclude a sesamoid fracture.

What helps

• A stiff carbon insole or a shoe with a rigid forefoot to stop the toe bending during healing
• Taping that limits upward movement of the toe on return
• Calf and foot strengthening once the acute pain has settled
• Delaying jump training until push off is pain free, since early return is the main cause of a chronic case
• Imaging for grade 2 and 3 injuries to check the sesamoid bones

Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (Shin Splints)

Pain develops along the inner border of the shin bone where the deep calf muscles and the surrounding fascia attach, and the bone surface itself reacts to repeated impact. Volleyball loads this through hundreds of landings and rapid stops on a hard court, especially in players who have just increased training or changed shoes. Left alone under continuing load, the bone reaction can progress toward a tibial stress fracture.

Symptoms

• A diffuse ache along the inner edge of the shin over a hand’s width or more
• Pain at the start of a session that eases as you warm up, at least early on
• Tenderness when running your fingers along the inner shin border
• Pain that lasts into the evening after hard jumping sessions
• Later, pain that begins earlier in each session and persists

How serious it is: Diffuse tenderness that eases when you warm up is the manageable form. Pain concentrated in one small spot on the bone, present at rest or on hopping, points toward a stress fracture, which needs a real break from impact rather than a modified training week.

Typical time out: Three to six weeks for a straightforward case managed with reduced impact, six to twelve weeks or longer for a tibial stress fracture. The difference between the two is the reason a focal bone pain should be imaged rather than trained through.

See a doctor if: Pain concentrated on a coin sized spot on the bone, or pain that persists at rest or when hopping on one leg, means stopping impact and getting imaging.

What helps

• Cutting jump and impact volume for several weeks while keeping fitness with cycling or swimming
• Calf and foot intrinsic strengthening, built up progressively
• Shoes with functioning cushioning, replaced when the midsole is compressed, and softer training surfaces where possible
• Rebuilding impact volume in small steps once the shin is pain free while walking
• MRI when pain is focal on the bone, since plain X rays miss early stress fractures

First Aid for Soft Tissue Injuries: PEACE and LOVE

Sports medicine has moved on from RICE. The current guidance, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2019, splits care into the first days after the injury and everything that follows.

PEACE, the first two to three days

• Protect: unload the area and limit movement that hurts, but only briefly.
• Elevate: keep the limb above heart level when you can.
• Avoid anti-inflammatories: they may blunt the healing you need.
• Compress: a bandage or taping limits swelling.
• Educate: your body heals this on its own; passive treatments rarely speed it up.

LOVE, from day three onward

• Load: return to movement as pain allows, early loading builds tissue.
• Optimism: expectations shape recovery more than most people assume.
• Vascularization: easy cardio that does not hurt brings blood to the area.
• Exercise: restore strength, mobility and balance before returning to play.

Ice still helps with pain in the first hours. What changed is the evidence that long icing and routine anti-inflammatory drugs slow tissue repair.

How to Lower Your Risk in Volleyball

• Train landings deliberately: land on two feet where the play allows, bend the hips and knees to absorb the drop, and keep the knees tracking over the feet rather than falling inward. Non contact landings are where most serious knee injuries in this sport happen.
• Run a neuromuscular warm up program before every session, with hops, single leg balance, and controlled cutting, and keep it going through the season rather than dropping it once matches start.
• Brace or tape the ankle if you have sprained it before, and keep single leg balance work in the routine, since blocking at the net means landing on other people’s feet is a matter of time.
• Count jumps and hits across every team a player belongs to, including school and club, and raise the weekly total in small steps. Most overuse problems in volleyball trace back to a sudden increase, not to the sport itself.
• Keep year round rotator cuff and scapular strength work, especially external rotation, and review the arm swing so power comes from the legs and trunk rather than from the shoulder alone.
• Set the net antennae, poles, and referee stand with proper padding, keep the court free of stray balls, and teach the calling routine so two players do not arrive at the same ball from opposite sides.

When to Stop and Get Medical Help

Most of the injuries on this page are treated at home. These signs are not.

• A visible deformity of a joint or limb, or a joint that will not move at all
• Inability to bear weight for four steps after an ankle or knee injury
• Any head impact followed by confusion, memory gaps, repeated vomiting, or drowsiness, whether or not the player was knocked out
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in an arm or leg, or midline pain over the spine after a collision
• A pop at the knee with rapid swelling and a joint that gives way
• A change in vision, double vision, or blood visible inside the eye after a ball to the face

Sources

• Baugh CM et al., Descriptive Epidemiology of Injuries Sustained in NCAA Men’s and Women’s Volleyball, Sports Health (NCAA Injury Surveillance Program)
• Volleyball Related Injuries in Adolescents: A Decade of Data, Orthopedic Reviews
• Understanding ACL injuries in volleyball: a systematic review of epidemiology and risk factors, Frontiers in Sports and Active Living (2025)

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you are hurt, a doctor or physiotherapist who can examine you is worth more than any web page. Last reviewed: August 2026.

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