Kabaddi injuries: The 5 most injury-prone areas of the body, and how to protect them

Kabaddi is, quite visibly, a sport with very high chances of injury. It is a contact sport in every sense of the term, where one team member has to raid the enemy's territory, and the defenders have try to stop the raider from getting back to the midline by any means necessary – often involving physical violence.When it comes to injuries, there are certain parts of the body that are more susceptible than others, and demand extra care. Here are those injury-prone areas:

#1 The knee

The knee is the most frequently injured part of a kabaddi player’s body

The knee joint is the most commonly injured body party in kabaddi; an injury to the knee can occur at almost every stage as the events unfold in the game. The knee joint is fragile and is vulnerable to damage too; the raider can easily injure it while twisting around a defender or when the defender holds him by his knees in a tackling bid.

The different kinds of knee injuries that happen in the sport of kabaddi are:

• Dislocation

• Ligament sprains

• Cartilage tears

The best way to avoid a knee injury is to ensure that the playing surface is not too hard. Flexibility exercises for the knee should also be undertaken regularly to mitigate the risks.

#2 The ankle

The Ankle is one of the most injury prone joints in kabaddi

The ankle is one of the most injury prone joints in all sports, and kabaddi is no different. The joint is extremely compact with a number of ligaments and bones in a small area, and is highly vulnerable.

In order to stop the raider, the defender often holds on to the raider’s ankle with some force in his bid to stop him from going in his own half. The ankle hold is an important weapon for the defenders, and it puts the raiders at incredible threat of injury.

Generally there are two types of ankle injuries that can happen to the players:

• Ankle sprain

• Ankle fracture

The possibility of suffering an ankle injury can be significantly reduced by avoiding uneven surfaces and wearing supportive footwear. Another precaution is maintaining a healthy and stable weight to reduce pressure on the ankle joint.

#3 The shoulder

Puneri Paltan’s Wazir Singh gets treatment in his shoulder

The shoulder is the third most injury-prone joint in kabaddi. Shoulder injuries are very commonly seen in the sport, and are generally caused if a player suffers a heavy fall.

There are 3 major injuries that can affect the shoulder:

• Broken collarbone

• Dislocated shoulder

• Rotator cuff injury

In kabaddi, fractures are often caused when a player falls on his hand; the pressure then rises up the arm and impacts the collarbone. In some severe cases the bone may protrude through the skin.

To avoid a shoulder injury, players should be trained to roll over while falling down as that may reduce the impact on the joint. An even playing surface would also work wonders in preventing shoulder injuries to the kabaddi players.

#4 The wrist

Action from the Pro Kabaddi League

The defender can only hold on to the limbs of the onrushing raider while attempting a tackle, which can easily result in an injury to the wrist.

The wrist is one of the most fragile parts of the body and can be fractured by any awkward movement. Sometimes the defenders step on to the raider’s wrist intentionally in order to prevent them from going any further, and that is an obvious recipe for disaster.

Patna Pirates stand-in captain Sandeep Narwal injured his hand during one of the matches and had to get it heavily strapped to continue playing. An injury to the wrist is usually treated with ice and medication or a pain relief spray to control the pain and reduce the swelling.

#5 The head / face

Patna Pirates Sunil Kumar suffered from a facial injury

The most painful of all injuries that can happen in the sport of kabaddi are the facial and head injuries. A lot of times the raiders make audacious attempts to tag a defender, through maneuvers such as the back kick or high kick. These moves can have a direct impact on the face of a defender, which can easily result in a cut or a broken nose.

The raiders also face a high risk while coming back into their own half. They can easily fall on the surface under a challenge from the defenders and injure their face or get a concussion in the process.

Patna Pirates' Sunil Kumar suffered a facial injury in this season of the Pro Kabaddi, which forced him to withdraw mid-game. He returned for the next game with his eyebrow fully patched up, but there was no doubt in anyone's mind how serious a facial injury can be in kabaddi.

To prevent injuries to the head and face, the players need to be cautious with their movements and be aware of their surroundings. Regulations can also be put in place to prohibit players from using too much force when in contact with the head region.