Netball season is back and in full force – courts are buzzing, whistles are blowing and Saturday mornings are once again packed with sideline cheers and quick game turnarounds. From local school competitions to club clashes, and right through to the Suncorp Super Netball season with the NSW Swifts pitted against Sunshine Coast Lightning and West Coast Fever, the pace of the game feels faster than ever. But what really sets it apart is its stop–start nature. Unlike continuous running sports, netball is built around sharp accelerations, sudden stops, quick pivots and repeated changes of direction. Players are constantly decelerating, landing and re-accelerating, often in tight spaces and under pressure. Many of the injuries Physiotherapists see in netball are not just about impact or contact – they are the result of how the body handles these rapid changes in movement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt7wWpLqnYU

Netball has a unique set of rules. Players must stop dead with the ball and must follow strict footwork rules, which means they must decelerate quickly and control their body position immediately. Add to this frequent jumping and landing, rapid changes of direction, limited space in certain court areas, defensive pressure…and you have a sport that places high demand on lower limb control and stability.

If this load is not well controlled, it can place significant stress on structures such as:

• the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
• the patellar tendon
• the calf–Achilles complex

From a rehab perspective, it is not enough for athletes to be strong; they also need to be able to slow down effectively.

Pivoting is another common movement in netball, where players must quickly rotate on a fixed foot to pass or create space. This places rotational stress through the knee, particularly when combined with speed and fatigue.

These rapid changes of direction require:

• coordination
• strength
• balance
• timing

If any of these elements are lacking, the risk of injury increases. Many common netball injuries can be linked back to these movement demands.

• ACL injuries: Often occur during landing, deceleration or pivoting, particularly when movement control is compromised.
• Knee pain and patellar tendon issues: Repeated loading from jumping and stopping can irritate the knee, especially if the load increases too quickly.
• Calf and Achilles injuries: These play a key role in absorbing and generating force during stop–start movements.
• Ankle sprains: Rapid changes of direction and landing in crowded spaces increase the likelihood of ankle issues.

It is not enough to restore strength in isolation or focus purely on gym-based exercises. Athletes must be prepared for the specific movement patterns they will face on court. A well-structured rehab progression should include:

• Deceleration training: Teaching athletes how to slow down safely, with good alignment and control.
• Landing mechanics: Focusing on soft, controlled landings with appropriate joint positioning.
• Change of direction drills: Gradually introducing lateral movement, cutting and pivoting tasks.
• Reactive and sport-specific tasks: Replicating game scenarios where decisions need to be made quickly under pressure.

One of the biggest gaps in rehab is the transition from controlled exercises to real match conditions. Netball is unpredictable. Players react to opponents, adjust their positioning and make quick decisions under fatigue. If rehab does not prepare athletes for this environment, the risk of reinjury is real.

This means including fatigue-based drills, reactive movements, decision-making tasks and more. The idea is simple: athletes need to mimic a game environment to make sure they are up to the task.

One practical example of this approach is the Netball Australia KNEE Program, a structured warm-up designed specifically to reduce injury risk in netball players. The program focuses on movement skills such as landing, deceleration and change of direction – all in a stop–start sport like netball. It combines strength, balance and agility exercises to help players move safely on court.

For physiotherapists working with netballers, programs like this highlight the importance of not just building strength, but teaching athletes how to move well under pressure. The stop–start nature of netball is what makes it exciting – but it is also what makes it challenging from an injury perspective. For physiotherapists, rehab needs to go beyond basic strength and prepare athletes for the real movements they will encounter on court. By focusing on movement, progressive loading and sport-specific preparation, physios can help netball players return to confident, resilient performance.