Physical Rehabilitation of Ankle Injuries in Basketball Players

Ankle‑related injuries are common musculoskeletal injuries in basketball, with lateral ankle ligament strains and tears being the most prevalent. Athletes' repeated jumping‑landing, rapid direction‑changes, single‑foot rotation, acceleration and deceleration place heavy loads on feet and ankles, increasing risks of first‑time and recurrent injuries. Although many athletes recover from acute ankle ligament injuries, some experience persistent pain, repeated sprains or ankle instability.Ankle rehabilitation has shifted from rest‑based passive treatment to active, phased and standardised interventions, including external protective gear, exercise plans, neuromuscular training, sport‑specific rehabilitation and psychological‑readiness assessment. This paper reviews acute‑phase management, staged physical rehabilitation, novel auxiliary rehabilitation equipment, functional assessments, return‑to‑sport criteria and long‑term injury prevention for basketball players.Evidence suggests functional rehabilitation, ankle supports, progressive exercise, balance and neuromuscular training, plus sport‑specific practice produce good results. Aquatic and virtual‑reality training may act as supplements but lack sufficient supporting evidence. Clinicians should not decide return‑to‑sport timelines solely by injury duration or single test outcomes; instead, should consider pain, ankle mobility restrictions, subjective feelings, physical control and sport‑specific performance. Individualised staged rehabilitation helps restore function, reduce re‑injury risk and support safe competitive return.