Achilles injuries being caused by the negative step?

[Marvin Martian]

I kind of agree with this. Players are being very aggressive with their biomechanics to explode as much as possible.

Read on Twitter

?t=4o6o1SYfw35sthoE14oUdg&s=19

This is pretty much how How Lillard, Tatum and Hali got hurt.

[Raps in 4]

Is there evidence that players didn't use this step in the past? Also, the negative step might be the final "straw" that causes the rupture, but I imagine any athletic movement would rupture it too once the surrounding muscle is sufficiently weak (like from a strain).

It's an interesting observation. Maybe someone with medical knowledge can comment. My money is still on tight scheduling being the cause of too much strain on players' bodies, leading to muscle injuries that then allow for ligament/tendon tears.

[UglyBugBall]

Can someone explain what a negative step is?

[UglyBugBall]

Ok I figured it out and found this below. Seems concerning.

"A 2022 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine analyzed video footage of 13 NBA players who suffered Achilles tendon ruptures. The study found that 100% of these injuries involved a false step, where the athlete took a backward step behind their center of mass before moving forward. This movement placed the ankle in a dorsiflexed position, increasing the load on the Achilles tendon .

Similarly, a 2019 study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine examined 44 Achilles tendon ruptures in the NBA from 1970 to 2018. The researchers observed that most injuries occurred during non-contact situations, often when players were pushing off from a stopped position with the foot in dorsiflexion"

[Chuck Everett]

I said it in a different thread. The guys who don't have elite first steps/speed seem to use it for extra burst, but you wonder if putting that kind of constant torque on the tendons over the course of however long makes it more susceptible to tearing. That's what it looks like to my untrained eye.

[Bernman]

Can someone explain what a negative step is?

Step backwards, point your toes upward, then push down on your heel to try to get leverage going forward anyway.

When Tatum & Dame did it they were going for a loose ball that surprisingly entered their area. They lost focus, maybe were tired, drifted backwards, but then still wanted to grab the loose ball for their teams.

Whereas this was part a move Haliburton often does, when he dribbles back to pull in the defender, then drives passed him. Only his mechanics were worse than normal. The calf strain may come into play that putting force on your toes (as is proper) in turn places more on the calf.

[Raps in 4]

Ok I figured it out and found this below. Seems concerning.

"A 2022 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine analyzed video footage of 13 NBA players who suffered Achilles tendon ruptures. The study found that 100% of these injuries involved a false step, where the athlete took a backward step behind their center of mass before moving forward. This movement placed the ankle in a dorsiflexed position, increasing the load on the Achilles tendon .

Similarly, a 2019 study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine examined 44 Achilles tendon ruptures in the NBA from 1970 to 2018. The researchers observed that most injuries occurred during non-contact situations, often when players were pushing off from a stopped position with the foot in dorsiflexion"

Do they have a breakdown of all the injuries on the 1970-2018 study? The Tweet suggests that negative steps didn't become prevalent until recently, but the study you quoted implies otherwise (assuming the nature of the injuries was the same in the years before 2010 or whatever cutoff we use for "recently").

[Myth]

I was talking about the increase in these sorts of injuries with my chiropractor brother. His theory is that it is wear and tear related to starting intensive basketball at a younger age. There has been a big increase in AAU and similar pushes throughout upbringing of promising players. A 30 year old player now days may have almost 20 years of really pushing themselves. Rewind to players raised in the 80s and 30 in the 90s, and you’ll find some who pushed starting young, but likely a later start age and different training on average. People like to talk about how development is different in developing skill and athleticism for modern players on average, but this could be the negative consequence of that.

[CS707]

Achilles injuries in sports are up in general, not just basketball. I’ve got no expertise in the subject but I do wonder if it might be a collateral impact from training to prevent ACL injuries. Biomechanics are a touchy thing and it doesn’t take much to throw the body off.

[Marvin Martian]

Is there evidence that players didn't use this step in the past? Also, the negative step might be the final "straw" that causes the rupture, but I imagine any athletic movement would rupture it too once the surrounding muscle is sufficiently weak (like from a strain).

It's an interesting observation. Maybe someone with medical knowledge can comment. My money is still on tight scheduling being the cause of too much strain on players' bodies, leading to muscle injuries that then allow for ligament/tendon tears.

Well back then players played with their back to the basket, which is safer than exploding off the dribble

[Accurim]

drew hanlen on MJ doing this same step. 3minute mark.

Watch on YouTube

at this point its just a bunch of armchair sports and conditioning experts.

[LAvision]

Can someone explain what a negative step is?

Step backwards, point your toes upward, then push down on your heel to try to get leverage going forward anyway.

When Tatum & Dame did it they were going for a loose ball that surprisingly entered their area. They lost focus, maybe were tired, drifted backwards, but then still wanted to grab the loose ball for their teams.

Whereas this was part a move Haliburton often does, when he dribbles back to pull in the defender, then drives passed him. Only his mechanics were worse than normal. The calf strain may come into play that putting force on your toes (as is proper) in turn places more on the calf.

Wow, they are actually teaching this. That’s madness, you’re basically doing the opposite of what your foot is designed to do.

[og15]

Can someone explain what a negative step is?

Step backwards, point your toes upward, then push down on your heel to try to get leverage going forward anyway.

When Tatum & Dame did it they were going for a loose ball that surprisingly entered their area. They lost focus, maybe were tired, drifted backwards, but then still wanted to grab the loose ball for their teams.

Whereas this was part a move Haliburton often does, when he dribbles back to pull in the defender, then drives passed him. Only his mechanics were worse than normal. The calf strain may come into play that putting force on your toes (as is proper) in turn places more on the calf.

Wow, they are actually teaching this. That’s madness, you’re basically doing the opposite of what your foot is designed to do.

Look at the post above yours, players were doing this before

Usually stuff that trainers are teaching is based off them watching a lot of film and taking footwork from the best / most successful players and helping guys implement it. They aren't re-inventing the wheel.

[ImmortalD24]

This may or may not mitigate the Achilles epidemic but... Bring back the baggy shorts and jerseys.

[Pelon chingon]

This may or may not mitigate the Achilles epidemic but... Bring back the baggy shorts and jerseys.

And the high top shoes.

[FuShengTHEGreat]

That injury is weird AF.....when ruptured my achilles I was just jogging up the court playing pickup and suddenly fell face foward.

But looking back I didn't have high top shoes on, maybe that played a part?

[floppymoose]

Trying to “explode” for a first step to get by my defender was how i tore my achilles. Of course i was also over 50 and playing on concrete. Hence “explode” in quotes. I was lucky in that it didnt cause a lot of pain. I was able to walk off the court (though not very well because the biomechanics are shot then).

Surgery was quite successful but was a year before i could play again. I never got it back to 100 but i think if i were 30 years younger i would have gotten close.

Trying to maximize force from that stretched position is when it goes. The other classic way to do it is trying to push a stuck car out. Same angles and forces.

[jkvonny]

Hhmmm!!

This is all interesting.

[jkvonny]

This may or may not mitigate the Achilles epidemic but... Bring back the baggy shorts and jerseys.

And the high top shoes.

I've been reading about high tops would prevent more of these type injuries? Good ankle support.

[Marvin Martian]

Here is Kobe talking about overusing the negative step

https://www.tiktok.com/@kobehighlight/video/7206372064142445867?lang=en