Protecting your joints during court sports

Learn how basketball, netball and tennis affect knees, ankles and hips, plus training, recovery and nutrition tips to support joint health.

Basketball is now the second most played team sport in Australia, with around 1.3 million people picking up a ball each year, according to Basketball Australia's reading of AusPlay data. Add netball, tennis and squash to the mix, and a large share of active Australians spend their week jumping, landing and changing direction at speed. Those movements are part of what makes court sports fast and fun. They also place real, repeated loads on the joints that carry us through every game.

This article looks at how high impact and court sports affect the knees, ankles and hips, what happens inside the body when you jump and pivot, and the training, recovery and nutrition habits that help active people keep moving well over the long term.

Why court sports place extra load on your joints

Court sports share a common set of movements: short sprints, jumping for the ball, landing, and cutting sharply to change direction. Each of these actions sends force through the lower body.

Basketball is a useful example. A study in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine noted that players change motion every 2 to 2.8 seconds and jump between 35 and 46 times per game. Every landing has to absorb the body's momentum, and the knees and ankles do much of that work.

The forces involved can be high. A 2023 study in Applied Sciences measured single leg landing forces in high level netball players at around 3.2 times body weight. For a 70 kg player, that is over 200 kg passing through one leg in a fraction of a second. Repeat that dozens of times across a match, week after week, and the load adds up.

Pivoting adds another layer. When you plant a foot and turn, the knee and ankle manage a twisting force on top of the load from landing. Good technique, strong muscles and adequate recovery all help the body handle these forces. Fatigue or poor landing mechanics can shift more of the load onto ligaments and cartilage.

The joints under the most pressure: knees, ankles and hips

The lower body carries most of the injury risk in court sports. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis in Sports Medicine pooled data from basketball studies and found that ankle injuries made up about 25.8% of injuries and knee injuries about 15.5%, together accounting for more than 40% of all reported injuries. Ligament sprains were the most common injury type.

Here is why these joints take the brunt:

• Ankles absorb the first impact of every landing and roll easily on an awkward foot placement or another player's shoe. This is why ankle sprains are among the most common injuries reported across many court sports.
• Knees handle both landing force and rotation during cutting and pivoting. Non contact knee injuries often happen when a player lands or changes direction with the knee poorly aligned.
• Hips stabilise the whole movement, working to control the leg during landing and direction changes. Weak hip muscles can let the knee collapse inward, adding stress lower down the chain.
• Shoulders matter too in overhead sports like tennis and volleyball, where repeated serving and hitting load the joint through a large range of motion.

Understanding where the load lands helps explain why joint care for athletes focuses so heavily on the knees and ankles.

Why muscle strength is your joints' best protection

Muscles act as shock absorbers. Strong muscles around a joint help absorb and distribute forces around a joint, reducing the stress on surrounding ligaments, cartilage and bone. They also help control landing and change of direction, which reduces the awkward movements linked to injury.

The evidence here is encouraging. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis in Frontiers in Physiology pooled 19 studies covering 28,176 young athletes and found that structured exercise programs reduced the risk of lower limb knee injuries, with a pooled risk ratio of 0.75. In plain terms, those who followed these programs had about a quarter fewer knee injuries than those who did not.

Programs that combine strengthening, balance and landing practice tend to work best. For court sports, that means building strength in the calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes, alongside single leg balance work that trains the ankle and knee to stay stable when you land or turn. This is the foundation of most sports injury prevention routines.

Warm-up, mobility and cool-down habits that support joint care

A good warm up prepares the joints and muscles for the demands ahead. Neuromuscular warm ups, which combine light running, dynamic stretches, jumping and landing practice and balance drills, are among the most studied approaches for reducing lower limb injuries.

A simple pre game routine might include:

• Five minutes of easy movement to raise body temperature, such as jogging and side shuffles
• Dynamic stretches through the hips, knees and ankles, rather than long static holds
• A few controlled jumps and landings, focusing on soft, quiet landings with bent knees
• Short balance holds on one leg to switch on the muscles that stabilise the ankle and knee

Afterwards, a brief cool down of easy walking and gentle stretching helps the body wind down. Working on ankle and hip mobility on rest days also supports the range of motion these joints need on court.

Recovery strategies after high-impact sport

Recovery is when the body adapts to the load you have placed on it. Skipping it is one of the fastest ways to accumulate niggles.

A few habits make a real difference for joint care after sport:

• Sleep. Most of the body's tissue repair happens during sleep. Aiming for seven to nine hours gives muscles and connective tissue time to recover.
• Gradual load. Increasing training volume slowly, rather than in sudden jumps, gives joints and tendons time to adapt. Big spikes in activity are a common trigger for overuse soreness.
• Active recovery. Light movement like walking, swimming or an easy ride on a rest day keeps blood flowing without adding heavy load.
• Hydration. Fluids support overall recovery and help replace what you lose through sweat during a hard session.

Recovery also gives you the window to top up the nutrients your muscles and joints draw on, which is where diet and, for some people, supplements come in.

Nutrients that support joint, muscle and connective tissue health

No nutrient replaces training and recovery, but several play a role in how muscles and connective tissues function and repair. A balanced diet covers most needs. For active people whose intake may fall short, supplements can help fill the gap.

Magnesium for muscle function and recovery

Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and is involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, including energy production and muscle contraction. Active people lose magnesium through sweat, and heavy training may place greater demands on the body's magnesium stores. Food sources include wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds and leafy greens.

For those whose dietary intake may not keep up, our guide to choosing the right magnesium walks through the options. Blackmores Recovery Magnesium Powder is designed as a post exercise option, combining the MagAbsorb+ magnesium complex with Siberian ginseng and vitamins C, B12 and folic acid, mixed into water as a one a day drink. Blackmores Super Magnesium+ is a one a day tablet using three forms of magnesium. Both are formulated to help relieve muscle cramps, tension and stiffness when dietary intake is inadequate.

Vitamin C and collagen

Vitamin C plays a role in the body's production of collagen, the main structural protein in cartilage, tendons and ligaments. A review in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine describes vitamin C as a cofactor for the enzymes that build and stabilise collagen. Food sources include citrus fruits, kiwifruit, capsicum, broccoli and strawberries. Several of the Blackmores magnesium formulas include vitamin C alongside their other ingredients.

Glucosamine and chondroitin

Glucosamine and chondroitin are found naturally in cartilage, the smooth, cushioning tissue inside your joints. You may have seen them in joint supplements. Most of the research so far has focused on older adults with mild joint wear rather than active people looking to protect their joints, and the findings have been mixed. Some products in the Blackmores joint range are made with glucosamine and chondroitin, including Blackmores Joint Formula Advanced and Blackmores Joint Formula with Glucosamine & Chondroitin. If joint comfort is something you are thinking about, it is worth a chat with your pharmacist or health professional.

Protein for muscle repair

Protein supplies the amino acids the body uses to rebuild muscle after training. Spreading protein across the day, from sources like lean meat, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes and tofu, supports the everyday muscle repair that active people rely on.

When soreness is normal and when to seek advice

Some soreness after a hard game is normal. Delayed onset muscle soreness usually appears within a day or two of a tough session, feels like a general ache or tenderness, and settles within a few days as the body adapts. Gentle movement often helps it ease.

Other signs point to something that needs a closer look. Consider seeing a GP or physiotherapist if you notice:

• Sharp or sudden pain during activity, especially with a pop or a feeling of the joint giving way
• Swelling that comes on quickly or does not settle
• Pain that stops you bearing weight or moving the joint normally
• Soreness in the same joint that keeps returning or lingers beyond a week or so
• Any loss of stability, where a joint feels loose or unreliable

Getting persistent or severe joint pain checked early gives you the best chance of a straightforward recovery, rather than working around a problem that gets worse.

Building a joint-care routine for an active life

Long term joint care comes from consistent habits rather than any single fix. A practical routine for someone playing court sports might look like this:

• Warm up properly before every session, including some landing and balance work
• Strength train the lower body and hips twice a week
• Increase training load gradually and respect rest days
• Prioritise sleep and stay on top of hydration
• Eat a varied diet that covers protein, along with the vitamins and minerals that support muscle and connective tissue
• Add a supplement only where it fills a genuine gap, and check with a health professional if you are unsure

Frequently asked questions

Why do high impact sports affect the joints?

Sprinting, jumping, landing and pivoting send force through the lower body many times in a single game. The knees and ankles absorb much of this load, and repeating it over weeks and seasons is what makes joint care matter for active people.

How can athletes protect their joints?

Strong muscles, good landing technique, a proper warm up and gradual increases in training load all help protect the joints. Structured strength and balance programs have been shown to lower the risk of lower limb injuries in court sports.

What nutrients support joint and muscle function?

Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function, vitamin C plays a role in collagen production for cartilage and tendons, and protein supplies the building blocks for muscle repair. A balanced diet covers most needs, with supplements filling gaps where intake falls short.

What helps support joint mobility?

Joint mobility is supported mostly by staying active, keeping the muscles around each joint strong, and looking after overall joint health. Some joint supplements are also formulated to support joint mobility and flexibility. Regular movement and mobility work remain the foundation.

When should sports related joint pain be checked?

See a GP or physiotherapist for sharp or sudden pain, rapid swelling, a joint that feels unstable, trouble bearing weight, or soreness that keeps returning. Early assessment usually leads to a simpler recovery.

Key takeaways

Court sports like basketball, netball and tennis load the knees, ankles and hips through repeated jumping, landing and pivoting, and lower limb injuries make up the largest share of injuries in these sports. Strong muscles act as shock absorbers, and structured strength and balance programs have been shown to reduce lower limb injury risk.

Good warm ups, gradual training loads, quality sleep and consistent recovery form the backbone of joint care for active people. Nutrition supports the picture, with magnesium contributing to muscle function, vitamin C playing a role in collagen production, and protein supplying what muscles need to repair. Supplements sit alongside these habits rather than replacing them. Persistent or severe joint pain is worth having checked by a health professional.

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information presented is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, please consult your GP or healthcare provider for a personalised assessment and recommendations. Supplements should not replace a balanced diet.