@article{ref1,
title="Epidemiology of injuries among National Basketball Association Players: 2013-2014 through 2018-2019",
journal="Sports health",
year="2024",
author="Mack, Christina D. and Herzog, Mackenzie M. and Maak, Travis G. and Bedi, Asheesh and Gondalia, Rahul and Meisel, Peter and Azar, Frederick M. and Mancell, Jimmie and Nelson, Aaron and Difiori, John",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Understanding the epidemiology of injuries to athletes is essential to informing injury prevention efforts. HYPOTHESIS: The incidence and impact of basketball-related injuries among National Basketball Association (NBA) players from 2013-2014 through 2018-2019 is relatively stable over time. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3. <br><br>METHODS: Injuries from 2013-2014 through 2018-2019 were analyzed using the NBA Injury and Illness Database from an electronic medical record system. Descriptive statistics were calculated for injuries by season, game-loss, and onset. Incidence rates were estimated using Poisson models and linear trend tests. <br><br>RESULTS: Between 552 and 606 players participated in ≥1 game per season during the study. Annual injury incidence ranged from 1550 to 1892, with 33.6% to 38.5% resulting in a missed NBA game. Game-loss injury rates ranged from 5.6 to 7.0 injuries per 10,000 player-minutes from 2014-2015 through 2018-2019 (P = 0.19); the rate was lower in 2013-2014 (5.0 injuries per 10,000 player-minutes), partly due to increased preseason injury rates and transition of reporting processes. The 6-year game-loss injury rate in preseason and regular season games was 6.9 (95% CI 6.0, 8.0) and 6.2 (95% CI 6.0, 6.5) injuries per 10,000 player-minutes; the rate in playoff games was lower (P < 0.01) at 2.8 (95% CI 2.2, 3.6). Most (73%) game-loss injuries had acute onset; 44.4% to 52.5% of these involved contact with another player. <br><br>CONCLUSION: From 2013-2014 through 2018-2019, over one-third of injuries resulted in missed NBA games, with highest rates of game-loss injuries in preseason games and lowest rates in playoff games. Most game-loss injuries had acute onset, and half of those involved contact with another player. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These findings - through reliable data reporting by team medical staff in an audited system - can guide evidence-based injury reduction strategies and inform player health priorities.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1941-7381",
doi="10.1177/19417381241258482",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19417381241258482"
}