For three seasons, netballer Jamie Hume was worried her shoulder would dislocate at any moment.

The 27-year-old dislocated her left shoulder in a skiing accident in 2019 and over time it became a debilitating injury.

'It definitely had an impact on how I played and trained,” says the Northern Stars goal attack. 'It was frustrating because it was always in the back of my mind.”

Jamie and her support team threw everything they could at rehabilitation, but after three seasons and no improvement, they decided surgery was the best option.

Netball NZ lead physiotherapist and NetballSmart consultant Sharon Kearney says the unpredictability of netball and movement on court would expose the instability in Hume's shoulder.

'To commit to surgery is a big step as it is six months out of netball and with pivotal International campaigns looming,” says Sharon. 'It is hard to make that final decision.”

Jamie knew it was the best option.

Jamie Hume in action with a heavily strapped shoulder. Photo: Michael Bradley Photography.

She was heavily strapped before every game and training. Jumping and contesting for rebounds were the scariest motions.

'Towards the end, my shoulder was coming out all the time.

'I started pulling out of contests because I didn't want my shoulder to come out.”

In August 2019, Jamie went to Treble Cone with some friends on a skiing trip.

Jamie grew up in Clyde in Central Otago and is a competent skier. She was skiing backwards and showing her friend how to turn, before they tumbled over.

She put her arm down to stop herself and felt her shoulder dislocate and come back into the joint.

'The pain was excruciating. It was an awful, sickening feeling.”

As an elite level netballer, on the cusp of the Silver Ferns squad, it was a bad moment.

'The first feeling was guilt,” she says. 'We're always told to be careful with whatever we are doing if there is a risk of injury. But it's also important to be able to enjoy life outside of netball.

'I didn't realise the extent of the injury to be honest and I didn't think it would go much past being sore for a couple of days.”

Jamie, who also works as a teacher at Glen Avon Primary School in West Auckland, had surgery just six months out from the start of the ANZ Premiership season.

The NetballSmart Return to Play programme supported Jamie in her rehab.

She fully committed herself.

'I knew that this particular shoulder surgery was pretty final when you get it. There is no second chance if you bugger it up.”

While her shoulder was healing, Hume committed to other elements that helped a successful transition – fitness, lower body strength, core strength, jumping, and landing.

'By the time Jamie's shoulder was ready to hit the court so was the rest of her body,” says Sharon.

'This is vital for a successful Return to Play.”

Jamie says when she finally got back on court, it was the best feeling.

'My first training back, I was like a kid at Christmas. Because I'd been watching for so long, I was running around trying to do everything at a million miles.”

Jamie says the phase she is currently in – trying to get back to where she was on court before surgery – has been the hardest part so far.

'I underestimated how challenging it was going to be to return to the level that I was playing at pre surgery,” says Jamie.

Photo: Michael Bradley Photography.

'I'm under no illusion that it's going to be an easy ride to get back to where I was, and I definitely have a fair bit to go to compete for a spot on court but I'm just stoked to be back out there.”

ACC invests in Netball NZ to help deliver the NetballSmart training programme.

In 2022 ACC accepted 21,146 netball-related injuries, which cost $34m to help people recover.

ACC injury prevention partner Nat Hardaker says NetballSmart is making a difference.

'It's exciting to see the positive impact of the NetballSmart programme supporting players to stay on the court and minimise time lost to injury,” she says.

What is NetballSmart?

• NetballSmart is an evidence-based framework made up of six principles. It helps improve player's performance in sport by preventing injuries.
• The six principles are: Preparation, Dynamic warm-up, cool down and recovery, Movement, Training, Player welfare and wellbeing, and Injury management.
• For more: https://netballsmart.co.nz/