I’m not a big proponent of playing volleyball all year round.  Growing up in Chicago, I enjoyed being able to play indoor during the cold winter months and then couldn’t wait for the summer to roll around so I could play beach.  I also participated in baseball and wrestling which indirectly made me a better volleyball player.  Gone are the day when juniors are allowed to enjoy other sports and miss the game of volleyball.  As a college coach, I have seen way too many over-use injuries from freshman entering the season and too many surgeries, on these freshman.

Following is a great article from ESPN Rise on balancing it all:

‘The better you take care of an injury the sooner you’ll return to play.’ − Lisa Hedien

11/04/10 – The Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions is one of the most prestigious tournaments in California all year. With top teams and tough competition, it can be one of the highlights of the entire volleyball season.

But Milena Popovic could only watch last weekend as her Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) teammates rolled into the finals against a field that included seven teams in the POWERADE ESPN RISE FAB 50,sidelined with a nagging impingement in her hitting shoulder.

The senior outside hitter was facing the same dilemma thousands of volleyball players face every year: Should I play through the pain or sit out to let it heal?

“It is hard when an injury takes you away from the sport you love,” former UC Irvine standout and professional beach and indoor player Kelly Wing says. “But if you stay positive and work hard at rehab, then your recovery will be quick.”

The long volleyball season, which can stretch from August until June when you combine high school and club, can be brutal on your body. Your shoulder starts to feel like it’s ready to fall off, your knees start to ache and your body feels like it’s falling apart.  The question is, should you tell your coach? Or should you suck it up for playoffs?

Lisa Hedien, a physical therapist at Core Objectives Physical Therapy in Redondo Beach, Calif., recommends thinking more about the long-term implications than the short-term disappointment.

The better you take care of an injury the sooner you’ll return to play,” she says. “Learn to listen to your body.”

That wasn’t an easy decision for Los Alamitos (Los Alamitos, Calif.) senior Jane Croson, who took two weeks off last season to let her abdominal strain heal.

“It was pretty hard to take time off because I wanted to play,” the outside hitter said. “I had to rest, ice and do physical therapy.”

But Croson found that she could continue to contribute to the team during her down time

“I still went to practices and games to support my team and stay positive and motivate them by cheering loud,” she said.

Presentation’s Emily Sklar made compromises in her playing time due to a hip injury.

The junior outside hitter, who was nursing a hip injury, decided not to play back row.

“There’s always something you can be doing,” she says. “If you’re out with a hip injury, you can work on hitting harder or getting more touches on the ball.”

Former Loyola Marymount standout and pro beach volleyball player Emily Day, who had surgery on a bulging disc in her back at the end of her junior year in college, says there’s only one way to approach injuries.

Whether my injury is something minor, like a sore knee, or a major injury, like back surgery, I make sure I take care of it,” says Day, who now plays professionally in Switzerland. “If something hurts or is sore, I make sure to ice after practice. If a physical therapist or coach gives me exercises to strengthen certain muscles, I make sure I do them.”

But how do you know when to pull the plug on your playing time? Start by ignoring any pressure you’re getting from teammates, parents or coaches.

“Only you know when you can play through a sprained ankle or a sore shoulder,” Day says. “Make sure you listen to your body.”

Hedien, who has treated pro beach volleyball players and U.S. national team members through hundreds of nagging injuries, has five tips to help you determine your best course of action. She operates on a scale of one to 10; zero is the equivalent of no pain and 10 means you’re rushing to the emergency room.

1. Sit out when pain levels are a constant 7 out of 10 or higher. There should be no activity during this time, and you should do your rehabilitation only.

2. If your pain level is somewhere between 4 and 6, you should not play, but be present for your team.

3. If your pain level is less than four, weigh the timing of the injury. If there is a major competition you don’t want to miss, push through it. If not, then get some rest.

4. Always rest your body when you are able. Allow your body the down time it needs to recover and regenerate. Give yourself permission to take time off.

5. Never return to full play immediately after an injury. The body needs time to recover and adjust. Start back at 40 percent, then progress to 60 percent, 80 percent and finally 100 percent.

Of course, the dream scenario is avoiding the dilemma altogether. While that’s a tall order, do what you can during your short offseason to make it a possibility.

“Physically prepare yourself before your season so you can try and prevent injuries,” Wing says.

Day agrees, and pays attention to every detail.

“My advice to young volleyball players is making sure you actively stretch before working out,” she says.