Epidemiology of Injuries Among National Basketball Association Players: 2013-2014 Through 2018-2019

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. 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. 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. 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.