I’m a college volleyball player with weak ankles. I put in extra training to prevent ankle injuries but ended up hurting my knee instead. Am I just injury-prone no matter how much I try?
Some individuals do seem more susceptible to injury. This can be due to factors like an overactive nervous system, loose ligaments, or poor joint awareness (also called joint position sense). In many cases, there isn’t a single, clear cause—multiple factors may contribute.
In your situation, it’s possible that your ankle training was successful in strengthening them, preventing injury. However, by stabilizing your ankles, the stress may have shifted to your knee, causing it to become the point of injury. When the ankles are strong, forces that travel from the ground through the foot and ankle might instead be absorbed by the knee, especially if it’s a weaker area.
To address this, it may be helpful to continue focusing on ankle strengthening and improving proprioception (your joint’s ability to sense its position). However, it’s also important to include exercises that target the knee and hip. A balanced training program for all three areas might be the most effective solution for preventing future injuries.
If you’re unsure where to start, consider consulting a physiotherapist or athletic trainer for guidance.
Reference: Evert Verhagen, et al. The Effect of a Proprioceptive Balance Board Training Program for the Prevention of Ankle Sprains. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. August/September 2004. Vol. 32, No. 6, pp. 1385-1393.