Physio Club Blog

Netball Injuries: How to Reduce ACL Injury Risk with Netball Australia KNEE Program

It’s no secret that netball is tough on the knees.

This article is for netball players, coaches, and parents interested in preventing and managing knee injuries. Knee injuries are a leading cause of time away from the sport and can have long-term consequences if not managed properly.

Common netball injuries include ankle sprains, ACL/knee ligament tears, finger fractures/dislocations, and Achilles tendon issues, often caused by quick pivots, jumps, and collisions.

Whether you’re playing socials on a Tuesday night or training five days a week for state competition, the demands this sport puts on your body, especially your knee joints are real. And the injuries that come with it can be genuinely heartbreaking.

The good news? A lot of these injuries are preventable. That’s exactly what we want to talk about today. Regular participation in structured programs like the Netball Australia KNEE Program can help prevent knee pain by strengthening the muscles around the knee and improving movement patterns.

The Netball Australia KNEE Program is a structured warm-up and training program designed specifically to reduce knee and ACL injuries in netballers at every level. The KNEE Program is a neuromuscular warm-up designed to improve movement efficiency and landing technique, and is recommended for at least 10 weeks to see maximum benefit. In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know what the program is, how it works, who it’s for, and how your club can get started.

Key Takeaways

Netball is a high-impact sport with a significant risk of knee injuries, particularly ACL tears, which can require surgery and long rehabilitation.
The knee is a complex joint involving bones, ligaments, cartilage, and tendons, making it vulnerable to various injuries during netball.
The Netball Australia KNEE Program is a neuromuscular warm-up designed to reduce knee and ACL injuries by improving movement patterns and strengthening muscles.
Risk factors for knee injuries include body weight, footwear, protective gear, muscle strength, and previous injuries.
Early diagnosis and proper management of knee injuries are crucial to prevent long-term damage and recurring problems.
Treatment options range from the POLICE method for mild injuries to surgery and physiotherapy for more severe cases.
Structured rehabilitation focusing on strength, balance, and proprioception is essential for a safe return to play and to reduce re-injury risk.
The KNEE Program benefits all levels of players and can improve both injury prevention and on-court performance.
Maintaining a healthy weight, using the right footwear, and proper technique are important preventive measures.
Early medical attention for severe pain, swelling, instability, or locking is vital to avoid permanent joint damage.

Netball in Australia: A Sport Built for Everyone

How good is netball? It’s Australia’s most popular women’s participation team sport and the number one team sport for females aged 15 to 24.

From school comps and social leagues through to the National Super Netball competition and the Australian Netball Diamonds, hundreds of thousands of Australians play this sport every year. And that’s something to be proud of.

Netball is a high-impact sport injuries happen at a rate of approximately 14 per 1,000 hours played. As one of the jumping sports, netball often involves landing or falling from jumps, which can lead to injuries such as ankle sprains, ACL/knee ligament tears, finger fractures/dislocations, and Achilles tendon issues. These injuries are commonly caused by quick pivots, jumps, and collisions.

With so many people involved from primary school kids to elite athletes keeping players healthy and on the court matters more than ever. That’s where injury prevention programs like the KNEE Program come in.

How Common Are Knee Injuries in Netball?

A lot of people come in worried about their knees after netball. And honestly, it makes sense.

Knee injuries are among the most common injuries in the sport and ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injuries are the most serious of them all. Ankle sprains are actually the most frequent netball injury overall, making up roughly 40% of all cases. But when it comes to the injuries that really knock players out of the game for a long time? The knee is where it hurts most.

Netball is a high-impact sport injuries happen at a rate of approximately 14 per 1,000 hours played. Here’s what the numbers show:

Up to 25% of all major netball injuries involve ACL tears
ACL injuries often require surgery and months of rehabilitation
Time away from the sport can stretch from 9 to 12 months or longer
Lower limb injuries (ankles, knees, hips) are consistently the most reported injury type

Netball involves explosive jumping, sudden stops, sharp changes of direction, and significant landing forces all putting heavy load through the knee joint.

The knee is a complex joint that connects the thigh to the lower leg, where three bones meet: the thigh bone (femur), shin bone (tibia), and kneecap (patella). It’s held together by the main ligaments, which act like strong ropes connecting bones to other bones and providing stability to the joint. The knee also contains two wedge shaped pieces of meniscal cartilage called menisci, which act as shock absorbers between the thigh bone and shin bone, cushioning and stabilizing the joint. Covering the ends of the knee bones is articular cartilage, a smooth, slippery substance that allows the bones to glide smoothly and prevents bone-to-bone contact. Knee injuries, especially ACL tears most often happen during those sudden pivots or awkward landings where the knee collapses inward.

The most common knee injuries include tears of soft tissues (like ligaments and menisci), fractures, and dislocation. A dislocation occurs when the bones of the knee are out of place, either completely or partially.

The great news? Research shows that many of these injuries can be prevented with the right training. And that’s exactly what we’re here to help with.

Knee Pain in Netballers: What’s Actually Going On?

Common Causes of Knee Pain

A lot of players push through knee pain without really understanding what’s causing it. I see this all the time in the clinic. The causes of knee pain in netballers are variedknee pain may result from injury, overuse, or an underlying medical condition such as arthritis.

Knee pain in netballers can come from a few different places:

Overuse repetitive jumping and running that gradually wears on the joint
Acute injuries the ones that happen suddenly during an awkward landing or pivot
Muscle imbalances where certain muscles are stronger than others, putting uneven load through the knee
Landing technique if you’re not landing well, your knee absorbs more force than it should
Previous injuries a knee that’s been hurt before is more vulnerable the second time around
Medical conditions knee pain may also be associated with medical conditions like arthritis

Symptoms to Watch For

Pain and swelling are the most common signs something’s wrong, but stiffness, instability, or that uncomfortable ‘locking’ feeling are also worth paying attention to. Other symptoms such as reduced range of motion or clicking may also occur.

When to Seek Help

If knee pain is left untreated, it can lead to longer-term issues. Knee pain can develop gradually over time, come on suddenly, or repeatedly come and go, and it is more common as you get older. If your pain is severe, doesn’t improve after a few days, or you can’t move your knee properly get it checked. Early recognition and proper management of symptoms is how you stay on court instead of watching from the sidelines with an ice pack.

Risk Factors for Knee Injuries in Netball

Anyone can hurt their knees but some things do make it more likely. It’s worth knowing what to look out for.

Young adults in high-impact sports are particularly at risk not because they’re reckless, but because the demands are high and technique isn’t always prioritised early enough. If you’ve already had a knee injury (an ACL tear, patellofemoral pain, or similar), that knee is going to need more care going forward.

Other things that matter:

Body weight extra load on the joints increases injury risk and long-term wear
Footwear netball shoes are designed for lateral stability and court grip; they’re not optional
Protective gear knee braces and arch supports can make a real difference for the right players
Muscle strength and conditioning underprepared muscles mean the knee has to do too much on its own

Understanding these risk factors and actually doing something about them makes a genuine difference. That’s the goal of the KNEE Program.

Diagnosing Knee Injuries

Getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step and it’s worth doing properly.

When you come in, we’ll usually start with a thorough conversation: when did this start, what makes it worse, have you had issues with this knee before? From there, we’ll do a physical assessment checking range of motion, stability, and where exactly the pain is.

For more significant injuries like suspected ligament tears an MRI gives us the full picture of what’s happening inside the joint. Injuries to the collateral ligaments, including the lateral collateral ligament, are usually caused by a force that pushes the knee sideways, often during sports or contact trauma. In complex cases, additional scans or tests may be needed to make sure we’re working with the right information and building the right treatment plan.

Getting this right early really does matter. It’s not just about treatment it’s about making sure you don’t end up dealing with the same problem again six months down the track.

Treatment Options for Netball Knee Injuries

Immediate Treatment Steps

Treatment really depends on what you’ve done and how serious it is there’s no one-size-fits-all answer here.

For milder ligament sprains, the POLICE method works well in the first 48–72 hours: Protection, Optimum Loading, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Immediate management of acute netball injuries should include stopping play and applying ice and compression to manage inflammation. Using ice packs is recommended to reduce swelling and painapply them for 15–20 minutes at a time, making sure to protect the skin. The POLICE method is recommended for managing common netball injuries in the first 48–72 hours.

For more significant injuries ACL tears, meniscus damage surgery may be recommended. Most orthopaedic surgeons use keyhole surgery (arthroscopy) to diagnose and repair internal knee damage, such as cartilage or ligament injuries, by examining the inside of the joint. However, open surgery may be required for fractures that need a larger incision to allow direct access and better visualization of the injury. For serious knee injuries, urgent medical assessment is required to rule out full ligament ruptures.

Rehabilitation Approaches

Physiotherapy is the cornerstone of recovery from any knee injury. Not just ‘doing a few exercises’ but properly rebuilding strength, flexibility, and movement patterns so you come back stronger and more resilient than before, which is exactly the focus of our personalised, evidence-based physiotherapy services. For more detailed guidance on injury prevention in netball, you can visit the Australian Institute of Sport’s resources on injury prevention in netball or explore the official Netball Australia KNEE Program for structured training designed to reduce knee injuries. personalised, evidence-based physiotherapy services. Tendon tears, such as those to the quadriceps or patellar tendons, can occur from falls, direct force to the front of the knee, or landing awkwardly from a jump.

Some common approaches include, and can be supported by exercise physiology for long-term strength and function:

Strengthening the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, ensuring a full pain-free range of motion
Eccentric strengthening exercises (like Nordics or RDLs) are recommended for recovery
Balance and proprioception training (like single-leg work on a wobble board) is essential
Progressive loading starting with non-impact exercises (such as cycling and swimming) before advancing to agility drills
Knee braces or taping for additional support during early recovery

Post-injury, a goal of rehabilitation is to achieve approximately 90% strength parity with the non-injured side and the ability to perform sport-specific drills without pain. Rushing back to play after an injury is a major cause of re-injury; a structured rehabilitation program is necessary.

The right plan, tailored to your specific situation, is what gets you back to doing what you love. That’s always the goal.

Netball-Specific Training Programs to Support Knee Health

I’ve been through the netball wringer, those quick pivots that make your knee wonder what it did wrong, explosive jumps that test your landing strategy, and the kind of hard impacts that remind you why people invented ice packs. After one too many mornings hobbling around like I’d aged a decade overnight, I started looking into netball-specific training programs. Turns out, anterior cruciate ligament tears and patellofemoral pain syndrome aren’t just medical terms your physio throws around, they’re real possibilities when your knees are doing all that pivoting and jumping.

Here’s what I’ve learned from actually doing these programs: they’re not just another fitness trend. The ones worth your time focus on strengthening those leg muscles that keep your knee honest, improving flexibility so you’re not moving like a rusty gate, and boosting your proprioception basically, helping your body remember where your limbs are supposed to be in space, just like the injury prevention strategies discussed in our physiotherapy and sports performance blog. It’s not magic, and it won’t make you invincible. But after months of consistent work, my knee bones glide like they’re supposed to, and I’ve cut down on that strain that used to leave me wincing after practice. Would I recommend starting one? Honestly, yes it works, and it beats spending your weekends on the couch with a bag of frozen peas.

What Is the Netball Australia KNEE Program?

The KNEE Program stands for:

Knee injury prevention for Netballers to Enhance performance and Extend play

It was developed by Netball Australia in partnership with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), and designed by the Head Physiotherapist of the Australian Netball Diamonds. It was built specifically for netball, not just a generic sports program adapted for the court.

It’s also worth knowing that the right footwear plays a role here too. Netball shoes are designed to provide lateral stability and grip for court surfaces very different from running shoes. Good footwear supports the knee joint and can genuinely reduce injury risk, especially for players with flat feet or alignment issues.

The KNEE Program is based on proven injury prevention principles used in sports around the world but tailored to the real demands of netball: multi-directional movement, sudden decelerations, pivoting, and landing under pressure.

What Does the KNEE Program Focus On?

The program trains the specific skills and movement patterns that put netballers at highest risk:

Landing technique how you land from a jump, which directly affects how much load goes through your knee
Deceleration how to slow down safely after sprinting or jumping
Change of direction how to turn and pivot without putting your knee at risk
Arm position often overlooked, but critical for balance and stability
Strength and power building the muscular support your knee needs, including quads, hamstrings, and glutes

Balance and proprioception work like single-leg stands is also built in. These are all practical, on-court skills that players use every single session.

What Are the Benefits of the KNEE Program?

Here’s something I love about this program: it’s not just about avoiding injury. It actually makes you a better netballer.

When implemented consistently, research shows the KNEE Program can:

Reduce ACL injury incidence by up to 70%
Reduce overall lower limb injury risk
Improve strength, speed, and power
Enhance movement efficiency on court
Better prepare players for the multi-directional demands of netball

Better movement technique doesn’t just protect your body it makes you faster, more agile, and harder to beat. That’s a win all round.

Who Is the KNEE Program For?

This is one of the things I really appreciate about the program it’s designed for everyone.

Whether you’re coaching a group of eight-year-olds at their first Saturday comp, or preparing elite players for State competition, there’s something here for your team. The program includes drills and exercises at three levels:

Junior players age-appropriate movements and progressions
Recreational players social and club-level netballers who want to stay on court
Elite players high-performance athletes who need to maximise both safety and performance

It’s also suitable for coaches, parents, and sports trainers not just the players themselves. Anyone involved in supporting netballers can get value from this.

How Does the KNEE Program Work?

The program is designed to be simple and practical. It can be incorporated into:

Pre-training warm-ups
Game-day warm-up routines
Regular training sessions as a dedicated component

No expensive equipment. No massive time commitment. The goal is to make injury prevention a normal part of every session not an afterthought that gets skipped when time is tight.

For acute injuries that happen during training or games, the POLICE method (Protection, Optimum Loading, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is recommended in the first 48–72 hours. When using ice, always wrap it in a cloth and keep an eye on skin responses.

Netball Australia provides a program manual, instructional videos, and implementation tips, and clinics like ours offer convenient online booking for physiotherapy and sports injury care. You can access all of it at knee.netball.com.au.

The KNEE Program at Physio Club

We’re really proud of this one.

At Physio Club, we’re a certified KNEE Program Provider, endorsed by Netball Australia. We’ve completed the formal training to implement this properly and we’re genuinely excited to work with local netball clubs across the Sutherland Shire this season.

Whether you’re a club coordinator wanting to roll out the program, a coach looking to upskill in injury prevention, or a player who wants to understand how to better protect your knees we’re here to help.

We work with netballers across all levels, from junior comps through to adult social leagues and competitive club netball, supported by dedicated sports physiotherapy for netball and court athletes. And for serious knee injuries, we can also connect you with the right medical team if surgical assessment is needed.

How Can We Help Your Club?

KNEE Program education and implementation support for coaches and teams
Individual physiotherapy assessments for netballers at risk of injury
Netball-specific strength and conditioning advice
Injury rehabilitation if you’ve already had a knee or ACL injury
Sports physiotherapy for all netball-related injuries, delivered within a friendly, inclusive physiotherapy practice

Ready to protect your team this season? Contact us .We’d love to hear from you.

Seeking Medical Attention for Knee Injuries

Look, if your knee hurts with severe pain, swelling, or feels unstable after a game or training sessionI’ve been there, don’t try to tough it out like I foolishly did the first time. See a doctor or physiotherapist as soon as possible.

A healthcare professional can accurately diagnose what’s actually going wrong with your knee and suggest treatments tailored to your specific situation, not just generic advice from Dr. Google, but backed by a community-focused physiotherapy team that understands local athletes. This might include physiotherapy to rebuild strength and mobility (it’s not glamorous, but it works), anti-inflammatory painkillers to reduce swelling and pain, or, in some cases, knee surgery to repair torn cartilage or ligaments. Early intervention is honestly the key to reducing the risk of chronic arthritis pain and other complications down the track.

Remember: if you feel pain that doesn’t go away, or if your knee locks, gives way, or swells up, don’t ignore it. Getting the right treatment early can honestly make all the difference in your recovery and help you get back on court safely.

Monitoring Your Recovery

If you’ve had a knee injury, those regular check-ins with your physio aren’t just boxes to tick. They’re genuinely tracking whether your knee is doing what it’s supposed to do.

We assess the usual markers pain levels, swelling, range of motion and adjust the plan if something feels off. If imaging is needed to get a better picture, we’ll organise that too.

Here’s what I always say to patients: follow the plan, even when it feels tedious. The physio sessions, the home exercises, the lifestyle tweaks they all matter more than they might seem in the moment. And if something changes in how your knee feels, speak up. Catching problems early is so much better than dealing with them after they’ve escalated.

It’s not exciting work. But it works and staying on court is worth it.

The Future of Knee Injury Management

It’s genuinely exciting to see how far this field has come. New surgical techniques improved ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair methods are making procedures less invasive and recovery times shorter.

Regenerative medicine is also gaining ground. Stem cell treatments and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are showing real promise in supporting healing and reducing inflammation in knee joints, and if you’re unsure what option is right for you, you can contact our physio team directly to talk it through.

But what excites me most is the growing focus on prevention not just fixing what’s broken, but building the strength, technique, and awareness that stops injuries from happening in the first place.

Personalised exercise programs, better education for athletes and coaches, and a more holistic approach to knee health that’s where things are heading, and these same principles underpin our endurance athlete physiotherapy services. And the KNEE Program is a great example of that thinking in action, much like our dance physiotherapy for ballet and performing artists applies sport-specific principles to keep dancers safe.

Frequently Asked Questions About the KNEE Program

Does the KNEE Program actually prevent ACL injuries?

Yes research shows that when properly implemented, the KNEE Program can reduce ACL injury incidence by up to 70%. That’s a significant number for one of the most serious and costly injuries in netball. Consistency is the key; it works best when used as part of every training session and game-day warm-up.

How long does the KNEE Program warm-up take?

It’s designed to be practical. The warm-up component takes around 20 minutes and replaces your standard warm-up routine so it’s not adding time, it’s just making better use of the time you already have.

Do we need a physio present to run the KNEE Program?

No, the program is designed to be run by coaches and team managers after appropriate training. That said, working with a certified KNEE Program Provider like our team can help you get the technique right from the start and make sure you’re getting the most out of it.

Is the KNEE Program just for elite players?

Not at all. It’s designed for juniors, recreational players, and elite athletes alike. If you play netball, you can benefit from it full stop.

Where can I access the KNEE Program resources?

The program manual, videos, and implementation tips are all available at knee.netball.com.au.

Get Your Netball Club Started With the KNEE Program

Knee and ACL injuries are common in netball but they’re not inevitable. The Netball Australia KNEE Program gives coaches, clubs, and players a proven, practical way to reduce injury risk while actually improving performance on the court.

We’re lucky to be a certified KNEE Program Provider, and we’re ready to help local clubs make the most of it. If you’re not sure where to start, we can help that’s what we’re here for.