scholarly journals Epidemiology and Impact on Performance of Lower Extremity Stress Injuries in Professional Basketball Players

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moin Khan ◽  
Kim Madden ◽  
M. Tyrrell Burrus ◽  
Joseph P. Rogowski ◽  
Jeff Stotts ◽  
...  

Background: Professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) subject their lower extremities to significant repetitive loading during both regular-season and off-season training. Little is known about the incidence of lower extremity bony stress injuries and their impact on return to play and performance in these athletes. Hypothesis: Stress injuries of the lower extremity will have significant impact on performance. Study Design: Case series. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: All bony stress injuries from 2005 to 2015 were identified from the NBA. Number of games missed due to injury and performance statistics were collected from 2 years prior to injury to 2 years after the injury. A linear regression analysis was performed to determine the impact of injury for players who returned to sport. Results: A total of 76 lower extremity bony stress injuries involving 75 NBA players (mean age, 25.4 ± 4.1 years) were identified. Fifty-five percent (42/76) involved the foot, and most injuries occurred during the regular season (82.9%, 63/76), with half occurring within the first 6 weeks. Among players who sustained a fifth metatarsal stress fracture, 42.9% were unable to return to professional play. Players who sustained stress injuries had reduced play performance, specifically related to number of games played ( P = 0.014) and number of steals per game ( P = 0.004). Players who had surgery had significantly better performance at 2 years than those who were managed nonoperatively, independent of the type of injury (β = 4.561; 95% CI, 1.255-7.868). Conclusion: Lower extremity bony stress injuries may significantly affect both short- and long-term player performance and career length. Stress injuries result in decreased player performance, and surgical intervention results in improved performance metrics compared with those treated using conservative methods. Clinical Relevance: Stress injuries result in decreased player performance, and surgical intervention results in improved performance metrics.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 232596712110230
Author(s):  
Ophelie Lavoie-Gagne ◽  
Nabil Mehta ◽  
Sumit Patel ◽  
Matthew R. Cohn ◽  
Enrico Forlenza ◽  
...  

Background: The effects of adductor muscle injury on performance in soccer athletes are unknown. Purpose: To (1) determine the rate and time to return to play (RTP) after adductor muscle injury, (2) investigate the rate of reinjury after RTP, and (3) investigate any long-term effects of injury on elite soccer player performance. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Using publicly available records, athletes sustaining adductor muscle injury were identified across the 5 major European soccer leagues (English Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Serie A) between 2000 and 2015. Injured athletes were matched to controls by demographic characteristics and performance metrics from 1 season before the index timepoint. Investigations included the rate of RTP, reinjuries, player characteristics associated with RTP within 2 seasons, player availability, field time, and performance metrics during the 4 seasons after injury. Results: A total of 671 players with adductor muscle injury were included. Based on time to RTP, 86% of injuries were mild to moderate (4-28 days missed), and 4% required surgical intervention. Players with adductor muscle injury were absent for a median of 22 days (range, 1-700 days) and 4 games (range, 1-76 games). A total of 521 (78%) players returned at the same level, with no demographic or clinical characteristics associated with RTP on the multivariable regression. Of those returning to play, 143 (21%) experienced adductor reinjury. After RTP, defenders demonstrated decreased field time compared with controls ( P < .05). As compared with controls, defenders and midfielders scored more points and goals per game during the season of the injury ( P < .01), while attackers recorded more goals and assists per game the season after injury ( P < .05). Conclusion: Only 3 in 4 players (78%) returned to participate in an official match, and the reinjury rate was high (21%). After RTP, defenders demonstrated decreased field time versus controls. On the other hand, defenders and midfielders recorded more points and goals per game, while attackers recorded more goals and assists per game versus controls. Although the multivariable analysis results did not identify player characteristics associated with RTP, there was a position-dependent association on player performance after RTP.


2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 232596712110595
Author(s):  
Ophelie Z. Lavoie-Gagne ◽  
Avinaash Korrapati ◽  
Julia Retzky ◽  
David N. Bernstein ◽  
Connor C. Diaz ◽  
...  

Background: Meniscal injuries are extremely common in soccer athletes, and little is known about postrecovery performance. Purpose: To (1) identify characteristics associated with return to play (RTP) to the same league level and (2) evaluate long-term effects that injury and management approach may have on player performance. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Using publicly available records, we identified athletes who sustained meniscal tears across the 5 major European soccer leagues (English Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Serie A) between 2006 and 2016. Injured athletes were matched to controls 1:2 by demographics and performance. Investigations included rate of RTP to the same league level, reinjury, player characteristics associated with RTP within 2 seasons, long-term availability, field time, and performance metrics standardized to 90 minutes of play during the next 4 seasons. Results: A total of 250 players sustaining meniscal tears were included, of which 106 (42%) received surgical management. Median absence was 57.5 days (interquartile range [IQR], 35-92) or 7 games (IQR, 4-12). Rate of RTP was 70%, and the reinjury rate 5% if a player could RTP. Age greater than 30 years was a negative predictor for RTP (odds ratio [OR], 0.62; P = .002), whereas higher preinjury goals per game (OR, 2.80; P = .04) and surgical management (OR, 1.38; P = .002) were positive predictors for RTP. Surgical management was associated with higher long-term availability ( P < .01). As compared with the control, there were no significant differences in field time or performance metrics after RTP, either overall or by player position. As compared with nonoperative management, defenders undergoing surgery demonstrated decreased field time. Attackers and midfielders demonstrated similar field time and performance regardless of management. Conclusion: RTP of elite soccer athletes sustaining meniscal tear is contingent on age, preinjury performance, and management approach. Those who RTP to the same league level can be expected to demonstrate equivalent field time, performance, and long-term availability as noninjured athletes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 232596712110242
Author(s):  
Ophelie Lavoie-Gagne ◽  
Matthew F. Gong ◽  
Sumit Patel ◽  
Matthew R. Cohn ◽  
Avinaash Korrapati ◽  
...  

Background: The average professional soccer team experiences 1 to 2 traumatic leg fractures per season, with unknown effects on player performance. Purpose: To (1) determine the rate and time to return to play (RTP) following leg fracture, (2) investigate the rate of reinjury following RTP, and (3) investigate long-term effects that lower extremity (LE) fracture may have on elite soccer player performance. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Using publicly available records, we identified athletes sustaining a traumatic leg fracture across the 5 major European soccer leagues (English Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Serie A) between 2000 and 2016. Athletes with leg fracture (femur, tibia, and/or fibula) were matched 1:2 to controls by demographic characteristics and performance metrics 1 season before the index timepoint. Investigations included the RTP rate, reinjury rate, player characteristics associated with RTP within 2 seasons, long-term player retention, performance metrics during the 4 following seasons, and subgroup analysis by player position. Results: A total of 112 players with LE fracture and 224 controls were identified. Players with LE fractures were absent for a mean of 157 days (range, 24-601 days) and 21 games (range, 2-68 games). The rate of RTP within 1 season was 80%, with 4% experiencing subsequent refracture. Injured players remained active in the league at a higher rate than their uninjured counterparts. As compared with controls, injured athletes played 309 fewer total minutes ( P < .05), scored 0.09 more assists per game ( P < .01) 1 season after injury, and scored 0.12 more points per game 4 seasons after injury ( P < .01). Defenders were most affected by an LE fracture, playing 5.24 fewer games ( P < .05), 603 fewer total minutes ( P < .01), and recording 0.19 more assists per 90 minutes of play as compared with controls 1 season after injury ( P < .001). Attackers and midfielders demonstrated no significant difference in metrics after RTP when compared with controls. Conclusion: Most players sustaining an LE fracture returned to elite soccer at the same level after a significant loss of playing time, with a 4% rate of refracture. Player retention was higher for those sustaining an LE fracture versus uninjured controls. Overall, injured players did not experience a decline in performance after recovery from an LE fracture.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 232596712110339
Author(s):  
Ophelie Z. Lavoie-Gagne ◽  
Julia Retzky ◽  
Connor C. Diaz ◽  
Nabil Mehta ◽  
Avinaash Korrapati ◽  
...  

Background: Participation in elite-level soccer predisposes athletes to injuries of the medial collateral ligament (MCL), resulting in variable durations of time lost from sport. Purpose: To (1) determine the rate of return to play (RTP) and timing after MCL injuries, (2) investigate MCL reinjury incidence after RTP, and (3) evaluate the long-term effects of MCL injury on future performance. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Using publicly available records, we identified athletes who had sustained MCL injury between 2000 and 2016 across the 5 major European soccer leagues (English Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Serie A). Injured athletes were matched to controls using demographic characteristics and performance metrics from the season before injury. We recorded injury severity, RTP rate, reinjury incidence, player characteristics associated with RTP within 2 seasons of injury, player availability, field time, and performance metrics during the 4 seasons after injury. Results: A total of 59 athletes sustained 61 MCL injuries, with 86% (51/59) of injuries classified as moderate to severe and surgical intervention performed in 14% (8/59) of athletes. After injury, athletes missed a median of 33 days (range, 3-259 days) and 4 games (range, 1-30 games). Overall, 71% (42/59) of athletes returned successfully at the same level, with multivariable regression demonstrating no athlete characteristic predictive of RTP. MCL reinjury was reported in 3% (2/59) of athletes. Midfielders demonstrated decreased field time after RTP when compared with controls ( P < .05). No significant differences in player performance for any position were identified out to 4 seasons after injury. Injured athletes had a significantly higher rate of long-term retention ( P < .001). Conclusion: MCL injuries resulted in a median loss of 33 days in elite European soccer athletes, with the majority of injuries treated nonoperatively. RTP remained high, and few athletes experienced reinjury. While midfielders demonstrated a significant decrease in field time after RTP, player performance and long-term retention were not compromised. Future studies are warranted to better understand athlete-specific and external variables predictive of MCL injury and reinjury, while evaluating treatment and rehabilitation protocols to minimize time lost and to optimize athlete safety and health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 232596712110152
Author(s):  
Rafael Sanchez ◽  
Blake H. Hodgens ◽  
Joseph S. Geller ◽  
Samuel Huntley ◽  
Jonathan Kaplan ◽  
...  

Background: Achilles tendon (AT) ruptures are devastating injuries that are highly prevalent among athletes. Despite our understanding of the effect of AT rupture and in particular its relationship to basketball, no study has examined the effects of AT rupture and repair on performance metrics in collegiate basketball players. Purpose: To evaluate the effect of AT rupture and subsequent surgical repair on performance metrics in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball players who return to play after injury. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: NCAA Division I basketball players who sustained an AT rupture and underwent subsequent surgical repair between 2000 and 2019 were identified by systematically evaluating individual injury reports from databases comprising NCAA career statistics and individual school statistics; 65 male and 41 female players were identified. Athletes were included if they participated in at least one-half of the games of 1 collegiate season before tearing the AT and at least 1 season after operative repair. A total of 50 male and 30 female athletes were included. Each injured athlete was matched to a healthy control by conference, position, starter status at time of injury, class year, and number of games played. Matched controls were healthy players and experienced no significant injuries during their NCAA careers. Results: After AT repair, male athletes had significantly more minutes per game, points per game, and compared with before injury. Total blocks significantly decreased after injury. Female athletes scored significantly more points per game but demonstrated a significantly lower 3-point shooting percentage after return to play. Despite undergoing AT rupture and repair, 14% of male players played in the National Basketball Association, and 20% of injured female athletes played in the Women’s National Basketball Association. Conclusion: After returning to play, men demonstrated a significant drop-off in performance only in regard to total blocks. Female athletes after AT repair demonstrated a significant improvement in points per game but had a significant drop-off in 3-point shooting percentage.


2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 794-799 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald T. Mangine ◽  
Jay R. Hoffman ◽  
Adam M. Gonzalez ◽  
Adam R. Jajtner ◽  
Tyler Scanlon ◽  
...  

Context Professional basketball players have demanding schedules that, in combination with certain underlying physical characteristics and side-to-side strength and power imbalances, may make them vulnerable to lower extremity injuries. Objective To examine the relationship among skeletal muscle architecture, lower body power, and games missed because of lower extremity injury (%MISS) in professional basketball players. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Human Performance Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants Nine players under contract for Orlando Magic were assessed. We compared athletes who were injured (n = 4, height = 203.2 ± 5.5 cm, mass = 105 ± 7.5 kg, age = 25.0 ± 2.8 years) and those who remained healthy (n = 5, height = 200.2 ± 12.2 cm, mass = 100.1 ± 16.6 kg, age = 22.4 ± 1.9 years) during the season. Main Outcome Measure(s) Bilateral ultrasonographic measurements of muscle thickness, pennation angle, echo intensity, and cross-sectional area of the rectus femoris and vastus lateralis were collected before regular-season play. Subsequently, muscle thickness and pennation angle were used to compute fascicle length. Along with unilateral jumping power, inferences were made upon the magnitude of the relationship between the percentage bilateral difference in these measures and %MISS, as well as between injured and healthy athletes. Results The data indicated likely relationships between %MISS and age (r = 0.772), and between %MISS and bilateral differences in rectus femoris cross-sectional area (7.8% ± 6.4%; r = 0.657) and vastus lateralis cross-sectional area (6.2% ± 4.8%; r = 0.521), as well as a possible relationship with vastus lateralis muscle thickness (7.9% ± 8.9%; r = 0.444). Echo-intensity differences in the vastus lateralis were greater in injured (8.0% ± 2.4%) versus healthy athletes (3.2% ± 2.0%). Although a 2-fold difference in mean jumping power was observed between injured (26.3 ± 14.9 W) and healthy athletes (13.6 ± 8.7 W), these differences were not statistically significant (P = .20). Conclusions In the present sample, lower extremity side-to-side differences may be related to an increased risk for lower extremity injury. Future researchers using larger sample sizes need to identify normal versus at-risk ranges for bilateral differences in muscle structure and power of the lower extremities of professional basketball players and athletes in other sports.


1994 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene S. McClay ◽  
John R. Robinson ◽  
Thomas P. Andriacchi ◽  
Edward C. Frederick ◽  
Ted Gross ◽  
...  

Overuse injuries are common in basketball. To gain insight into their etiology and relationship to mechanics, researchers and clinicians need an understanding of the normal biomechanics of the sport. This study was undertaken with this goal in mind. Lower extremity joint kinematics and structural parameters were collected from 24 players from five professional basketball teams as they performed maneuvers typical of their sport. The results indicated that certain common moves such as the layup landing resulted in knee flexion velocities almost double those seen during the landing phase of running. Lateral movements such as cutting and shuffling placed the foot in extreme positions of supination. Both of these findings have implications for injuries common to basketball such as patellar tendinitis and ankle sprains. It is hoped that this information will initiate a database for normal lower extremity kinematics during basketball and lead to a greater understanding of the relationship of lower extremity movement patterns and injury.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 232596712110241
Author(s):  
Enrico M. Forlenza ◽  
Ophelie Z. Lavoie-Gagne ◽  
Yining Lu ◽  
Connor C. Diaz ◽  
Jorge Chahla ◽  
...  

Background: Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) is a potentially career-ending injury in professional athletes. Limited information exists regarding return to play (RTP) in professional soccer players after this injury. Purpose: To determine the RTP rate and time in professional soccer players after ATR and to evaluate player performance relative to matched controls. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: We evaluated 132 professional soccer players who suffered an ATR between 1999 and 2018. These athletes were matched 2:1 to uninjured controls by position, age, season of injury, seasons played, and height. We collected information on the date of injury, the date of RTP, and player performance metrics (minutes played, games played, goals scored, assists made, and points per game) from official team websites, public injury reports, and press releases. Changes in performance metrics for the 4 years after the season of injury were compared with metrics 1 season before injury. Univariate comparisons were performed using independent-sample, 2-group t tests and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests when normality of distributions was violated. Results: The mean age at ATR was 27.49 ± 4.06 years, and the mean time to RTP was 5.07 ± 2.61 months (18.19 ± 10.96 games). The RTP rate was 71% for the season after injury and 78% for return at any timepoint. Overall, 9% of the injured players experienced a rerupture during the study period. Compared with controls, the injured players played significantly less (-6.77 vs -1.81 games [ P < .001] and -560.17 vs -171.17 minutes [ P < .05]) and recorded fewer goals (-1.06 vs -0.29 [ P < .05]) and assists (-0.76 vs -0.02 [ P < .05]) during the season of their Achilles rupture. With the exception of midfielders, there were no significant differences in play time or performance metrics between injured and uninjured players at any postinjury timepoint. Conclusion: Soccer players who suffered an ATR had a 78% RTP rate, with a mean RTP time of 5 months. Injured players played less and demonstrated inferior performance during the season of injury. With the exception of midfielders, players displayed no significant differences in play time or performance during any of the 4 postinjury seasons.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shintaro Sato ◽  
Keita Kinoshita ◽  
Koichi Sekino ◽  
Haruka Amano ◽  
Yoshifumi Bizen ◽  
...  

Previous research in evolutionary psychology has highlighted the potential role of facial structures in explaining human behavior. The facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) was found to be associated with testosterone-driven behavioral tendencies like achievement drive, aggression, and sporting success. The current study aimed to replicate such relationships using real-world data (i.e., professional basketball players; N = 482). Achievement drive, aggression, and sporting success were operationalized as field-goal attempts (FGA), the number of fouls committed (Foul), and player performance rating (EFF), respectively. The results indicated that fWHR was significantly associated with FGA and EFF, controlling for minutes of play and body-mass-index. The same results were obtained for separate analyses focusing on outsider players. However, analyses of inside players demonstrated that fWHR was associated only with EFF. The current research further provides empirical evidence supporting the effects of fWHR on achievement drive and sporting successes, although the effect sizes are notably small.


Author(s):  
Jordan L. Fox ◽  
Robert Stanton ◽  
Aaron T. Scanlan ◽  
Masaru Teramoto ◽  
Charli Sargent

Purpose: To investigate the associations between sleep and competitive performance in basketball. Methods: A total of 7 semiprofessional, male players were monitored across the in-season. On nights prior to competition, sleep duration and quality were assessed using actigraphs and sleep diaries. The data were accumulated over 1 (night 1), 2 (nights 1–2 combined), 3 (nights 1–3 combined), and 4 (nights 1–4 combined) nights prior to competition. Performance was reported as player statistics (field goal and free-throw accuracy, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and turnovers) and composite performance statistics (offensive rating, defensive rating, and player efficiency). Linear regression analyses with cluster-robust standard errors using bootstrapping (1000 replications) were performed to quantify the association between sleep and performance. Results: The night before competition, subjective sleep quality was positively associated with offensive rating and player efficiency (P < .05). Conclusions: Strategies to increase subjective sleep quality the night before competition should be considered to increase the likelihood of successful in-game performance, given its association with composite performance metrics.


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