Ankle Sprains in Netball: A Complete Guide
Ankle Sprains in Netball: What You Need to Know
If you’re a netballer, you know how physically demanding the game can be. The speed, the power, the rapid stop–start movements — it’s what makes netball exciting, but also what makes certain injuries far too common. One of the biggest issues we see, particularly in players aged 18–35, is the ankle sprain.
Ankle sprains aren’t just an occasional annoyance in netball — they’re the most common injury in the sport. Research across community and elite levels consistently shows that up to 80% of netballers will experience at least one ankle sprain, with many experiencing several throughout their playing years. And for a large percentage of athletes, these injuries don’t fully resolve without the right rehabilitation, leading to ongoing weakness, reduced confidence, or chronic ankle instability.
At True Active Physiotherapy, we know this pattern intimately. Our clinicians have extensive experience managing ankle sprains in netball athletes of all levels — from juniors stepping into competitive pathways to adults playing socially or at high-performance levels. Members of our team have worked within Netball Victoria U17 and U19 State Programs, cared for athletes in the Vic Fury ANL squad, and continue to work closely with multiple VNL athletes, including providing ongoing physiotherapy support to our currently sponsored club, the Casey Demons. This means we’re not only familiar with how these injuries occur, but also with what’s required physically, mentally, and practically to get athletes back on court safely and performing at their best.
Why Netball Places So Much Stress on Your Ankles
Netball is unique — it combines explosive jumping, rapid deceleration, pivoting, single-leg landings, and high-speed directional changes in a tight court space. In a 2024 video-analysis study of elite netball matches, most ankle sprains occurred during contested landings, abrupt jump landings, or quick prop-and-cut movements. These are moments every netballer knows well: coming down with the ball under pressure, taking off to evade a defender, or landing in traffic around the circle.
In these high-speed, unpredictable situations, the foot is often forced into a rolled-in (inverted) position while the toes point slightly downward. This combination places a high load on the lateral ligaments of the ankle — particularly the ATFL, which is the most frequently injured, and in more severe cases the CFL. These ligaments act as the stabilising “cables” for the ankle; when they stretch or tear, the ankle quickly becomes unstable.
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A Common Injury — But Often Not Managed Properly
Despite the high frequency of ankle sprains, they are often underestimated. Many netballers return to training or games as soon as they can jog or jump, assuming the injury has healed. However, research shows that inadequate rehabilitation is one of the strongest predictors of future problems.
Players who rush back often experience a cycle of “roll → recover quickly → roll again,” and many eventually begin to notice ongoing weakness, reduced trust in the ankle, or a sense that it may “give way” during landings or fast movements. Studies in female court-sport athletes — including a large portion of netball players — have found that over 70% of those with a past sprain develop signs of Chronic Ankle Instability (CAI) if rehab isn’t completed properly.
Understanding Why Ankle Sprains Matter for Netballers
A sprained ankle isn’t just a simple roll — it’s a real injury to the ligaments that help keep your ankle stable during every jump, landing and change of direction. When these ligaments are stretched or torn, the ankle temporarily loses part of its natural support system. Even if the swelling settles quickly, the strength, balance and control needed for netball often don’t return on their own.
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This is especially important for netballers aged 18–35. Players in this age group compete at higher speeds, jump with more force and place greater load through the ankle than at any other stage of their netball careers. Busy work or study schedules also mean proper rehabilitation can easily be rushed, skipped or delayed. As a result, even a mild sprain can become a recurring issue if the ankle isn’t retrained properly.
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Many players notice lingering problems long after the initial pain has gone — hesitation when landing, reduced power when taking off, or discomfort at higher training loads. These subtle deficits can affect confidence, performance and long-term joint health.
The encouraging part is that research consistently shows that with structured rehabilitation — rebuilding strength, balance, agility and netball-specific landing control — players can restore full stability and significantly reduce their risk of future sprains. Giving your ankle the right attention early on protects your performance now and your joint health for the years ahead.
Management & Rehabilitation: Evidence-Based Recovery for Netball Ankle Sprains
Recovering from an ankle sprain in netball isn’t as simple as waiting for the swelling to settle. While many players feel they can jog or play again within days, the research tells a different story. Studies of community and sub-elite netballers show that a large proportion return to sport far too quickly, with minimal rehabilitation and without any structured return-to-play clearance. This approach significantly increases the risk of recurrent sprains and long-term ankle instability.
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A more considered, evidence-based plan — one that restores not just comfort but strength, balance and sport-specific control — is what truly protects the ankle and keeps players on court long-term. Here’s how modern, research-supported rehabilitation should look.
The Early Stage: Protecting the Ligament and Reducing Irritability
In the first 48–72 hours, the focus is on helping the ankle settle. Using the principles of PEACE (Protection, Elevation, Avoid early anti-inflammatories, Compression, Education) supports the healing ligaments and prevents further strain. Gentle, pain-free movement is encouraged to maintain ankle mobility, but high-load netball movements (jumping, cutting, rapid changes of direction) should be avoided in this stage.
This period isn’t about immobilising the ankle — it’s about giving the ligament the right environment to start recovering.
Restoring Movement and Beginning Targeted Strength Work
As the initial soreness eases, rehabilitation shifts toward restoring normal ankle movement and rebuilding early strength. This includes calf strengthening, activation of the muscles around the ankle and foot, and controlled band-resisted exercises.
Balance training begins early too. Netball-specific research shows that reduced balance — particularly on single-leg tasks — is one of the clearest predictors of future ankle sprains. Re-establishing balance and proprioception is therefore not optional; it’s foundational.
Rebuilding Plyometric Control, Strength and Proprioception
As recovery progresses, the ankle needs far more than basic strength. To safely return to netball, the ankle must tolerate the forces involved in landing, jumping, sprinting and rapid directional changes — the exact movements where most sprains occur. This requires rebuilding not only ankle strength, but the entire kinetic chain that supports lower-limb stability.
A major part of this process is strengthening the calf muscles, which help control landing forces and provide the elastic energy needed for jumping and sprinting. Equally important are the peroneal muscles along the outside of the lower leg. These muscles act as the ankle’s “first responders,” activating rapidly to prevent the foot from rolling inwards. When they’re weak or slow to react, the risk of sprain increases significantly.
We also emphasise strengthening the lateral hip muscles — particularly the gluteus medius and minimus. These muscles stabilise the pelvis and control knee alignment during landing and cutting movements.
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At True Active Physiotherapy, we integrate advanced force plate technology to objectively assess how your ankle and lower limb tolerate load. Force plates allow us to measure:
• Plyometric function
How efficiently you absorb and produce force during hopping, jumping and landing — critical in netball where repeated aerial contests and quick take-offs are common.
• Strength asymmetries
Comparisons between limbs help identify whether one ankle is compensating or off-loading, even when it feels “normal.”
• Proprioception and stability
Force plate tasks reveal subtle control deficits that may not be obvious during basic balance tests but often emerge during fatigue or game-speed movements.
These measurements give us precise data about your readiness and guide how we progress your program. They ensure your rehabilitation is not only symptom-based but performance-based, so you are objectively prepared for the dynamic demands of netball.
Preparing the Ankle for Netball-Specific Demands
Once early strength and balance return, rehabilitation becomes far more sport-specific. Netball requires confident, controlled movement in all directions — often under fatigue and with external pressure. Your program will gradually incorporate:
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Controlled hopping and multi-directional footwork
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Landing mechanics emphasising alignment and force absorption
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Acceleration and deceleration drills
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Reactive change-of-direction tasks — simulating real game unpredictability
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Catching and landing with external pressure, mirroring contested play at trainings and matches
​These higher-level tasks are exactly where most ankle sprains occur, and yet they’re the most commonly missed part of rehabilitation. Ensuring your ankle can tolerate these demands — consistently and without hesitation — is crucial for preventing re-injury.
A Safe Return to Play — Not Just a Quick One
A recurring theme in current research is that few netballers receive proper return-to-play testing before stepping back into games, even though this stage carries the highest risk of re-sprain. Pain-free walking or jogging doesn’t mean the ankle is ready for match intensity.
A safe return to netball typically requires:
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Full, pain-free strength in the calf, peroneals and hip stabilisers
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Symmetrical landing and jumping mechanics, measured objectively
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Strong plyometric control on force plate assessment
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Dynamic balance and proprioceptive stability under load
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Sport-specific agility, including rapid directional changes
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Confidence in the ankle, without protective movement patterns or hesitation
When these elements are restored, the ankle is not only healed — it’s robust enough for competition.
Preventing Future Sprains
Even once you’re back on court, continued maintenance is essential. Regular strength and balance work — even 10–15 minutes, one or two times per week — significantly reduces the risk of recurrence, especially for players with a history of ankle sprains.
Taping or bracing can provide additional stability during the return phase or throughout a demanding season. This is not a substitute for rehabilitation, but rather a supportive measure while your ankle continues to strengthen and adapt to higher training loads. For a guide on how to tape your ankle, click the following link.
A prevention plan that includes calf, peroneal, and hip strengthening, alongside balance and landing drills, provides long-term protection and helps keep you performing at your best.
Putting It All Together
Ankle sprains in netball are incredibly common, but they don’t have to become a recurring part of your season. With the right combination of early management, progressive strengthening, force-plate-guided plyometric retraining and netball-specific movement preparation, most players can return to the court feeling stronger and more confident than before.
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Whether your sprain is recent or something you’ve been “managing” for years, a thorough approach now can make a significant difference to your long-term performance, confidence and ankle health. If you’re unsure where to start, or if your ankle hasn’t quite felt the same since your last roll, our team is always here to help guide you through a structured, personalised plan.
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You don’t need to wait until it becomes a bigger issue — even a single session can help you understand what your ankle needs and how to get back to playing the way you love.