Best Exercise for Netball Injury Prevention (From an Exercise Physiologist)

If I Had to Pick Just One Thing…

If you’re looking for a single “best” exercise for netball injury prevention, here’s the honest answer:

It’s not one exercise—it’s a type of training.

The most effective approach I’ve seen (both as an exercise physiologist and long-term netballer) is:

Lower limb plyometrics combined with strength and stability training for the knee and ankle.

Why? Because netball isn’t just about strength—it’s about how well your body can absorb force, control movement, and react under pressure.

Every time you land, pivot, or decelerate, your:

• Knees (quads, hamstrings, hips)
• Ankles (calves, tibialis anterior, ligaments)

…are under high load. If they’re not conditioned properly, something eventually gives.

The Injuries I See Over and Over Again

Across my own playing career, coaching experience, and clinical work, the same injuries keep showing up:

• Lateral ankle sprains (especially ATFL injuries)
• ACL ruptures
• Ongoing knee pain (often load-related or poor mechanics)
• Achilles tendon injuries and ruptures

These aren’t random—they’re all linked to poor load tolerance, weak landing mechanics, or inadequate conditioning.

The Biggest Mistakes Netballers Make

Most players aren’t doing nothing—they’re just doing the wrong things (or not enough of the right ones).

Here’s what I see all the time:

1. “I go to the gym once a week, that’s enough”

It’s not.

Your joints need consistent and varied load exposure to build resilience. One basic strength session a week won’t prepare you for:

• Multiple games
• High-intensity training
• Repeated jumping and landing

2. Waiting Until It’s Really Bad

Players often ignore pain until it becomes unbearable.

By that point:

• Movement patterns have already changed
• Weaknesses have developed
• Risk of serious injury is much higher

3. Relying on Footwear Alone

Good shoes help—but they don’t:

• Strengthen your muscles
• Improve your landing
• Stabilise your joints under fatigue

Footwear is supportive, not protective.

Real Case Study: Why Rehab Isn’t Optional

One case that really highlights this:

A 25-year-old semi-elite player:

• Training twice per week
• Playing two games per week
• Sustained a Grade 2 ATFL ankle sprain

She did everything right initially:

• Saw a physio
• Managed the acute phase
• Returned to play after ~4 weeks

But then she stopped rehab.

No ongoing strength work. No conditioning.

Result?
She reinjured the same ankle within weeks—back to square one.

What Changed the Outcome

When she came to see me, we took a different approach:

We built a structured return-to-sport progression:

1. Strength base
   • Double-leg → single-leg calf raises
2. Control & neuromuscular work
   • Balance, stability, controlled loading
3. Plyometric progression
   • Explosive single-leg work
4. Sport-specific integration
   • BOSU balance + passing
   • Reactive drills

She’s continued this approach—and hasn’t had a lower limb injury since.

The difference wasn’t rest. It was preparation.

What a Proper Netball Injury Prevention Program Looks Like

This is where most people go wrong—they skip structure.

Here’s how I typically build it:

1. Warm-Up (Non-Negotiable)

Start with:

• Butt kicks, high knees, grapevine
• Lateral shuffles, A-skips

Then mobility:

• Leg swings
• Hamstring sweeps
• Walking lunges with rotation
• Lateral squat shifts

2. Build Into Load & Plyometrics

Progress into:

• Single-leg diagonal hops
• Backwards hops
• Toe bounces
• Sprint efforts

Then:

• Double-leg jump → single-leg landing
• Single-leg jump → double-leg bound
• Add perturbation (e.g. mid-air contact)

3. Strength & Stability Work

Focus on:

• Calves (often underrated)
• Quads & hamstrings
• Hip stability
• Ankle control

4. Integrate Ball Work

Injury prevention shouldn’t feel separate from netball:

• Add passing while balancing
• Include reaction drills
• Train under fatigue

How This Changes for Different Players

Not everyone should be doing advanced plyometrics straight away.

I always base progressions on:

• Training history
• Strength levels
• Injury background

Rule:

If you don’t have strength and landing control, you haven’t earned plyometrics yet.

For juniors or beginners:

• Focus on basics first
• Build control before complexity

What Happens Outside Training Matters More Than You Think

Injury prevention isn’t just what you do in a session.

The biggest external factors I see:

• Overtraining with poor recovery
• Too many games, not enough preparation
• Inappropriate footwear for the player

You can have the best program in the world—but if recovery is poor, injury risk stays high.

A Slightly Controversial Take…

I hear this all the time:

“Netball ruined my knees.”

There’s some truth—but it’s incomplete.

Netball can contribute to joint stress, yes.
But in most cases, what’s missing is:

• Proper strength training
• Consistent conditioning
• Long-term load management

It’s not just the sport—it’s how you prepare for it.

The Takeaway

If you want to reduce your injury risk in netball:

• Don’t look for one magic exercise
• Build strength + control + plyometrics together
• Progress gradually
• Keep training even when you feel “fine”

Because the players who stay injury-free long term aren’t lucky—

They’re prepared.