📈 Upside Studies: Impact and Costs of Injuries in Professional Basketball / Injury & Illness Trends in the NHL Following an Abrupt Cessation of Play
Key Findings from the Study: "Impact and Costs of Injuries in Professional Basketball – Insights from a Four-Season Analysis"
Authors:
Adrian Rubio-Jimenez a,b ,
Javier Pena˜ b,* ,
Adria ´ Sabata a ,
Toni Caparros´ c , Martà Casals c
a Basquet ` Manresa, Professional Basketball Club, Manresa, Spain.
b University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia, Faculty of Health Sciences and Welfare, Vic, Spain
c Department of Sports Sciences, Institut Nacional d’Educaci´ o FÃsica de Catalunya (INEFC), Barcelona, Spain
Introduction
Injuries in professional basketball significantly impact player performance, team success, and financial stability. Understanding injury trends, their economic consequences, and how different competition structures influence injury rates is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies. This study analyzed injury incidence and costs over four seasons in a Spanish ACB League team, comparing single-competition (SC) and dual-competition (DC) seasons. The findings provide valuable insights into injury prevalence, severity, and economic burden, highlighting areas for improvement in injury management and prevention.
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Study - Key Findings
1. Injury Incidence and Patterns
102 injuries recorded over four seasons (average of 25.5 injuries per season).
Injury rate: 5.85 injuries per 1,000 hours, significantly higher during games (122.28 per 1,000 hours) than training (3.05 per 1,000 hours).
Muscle injuries (42%) were the most common, particularly hamstrings and Achilles tendon injuries.
Severity of injuries:
Minor (1–7 days): 68.6%
Moderate (8–28 days): 14.7%
Severe (>28 days): 16.7% (causing 891 total lost player days).
2. Impact of Single vs. Dual Competition Seasons
SC seasons had a higher injury rate (9.86 per 1,000 hours) compared to DC seasons (5.73 per 1,000 hours).
SC seasons had a greater financial impact (6.5% of team budget) than DC seasons (4.5%).
The increased injury risk in SC seasons is likely due to higher training loads without structured recovery periods.
3. Injury Distribution by Position and Age
Guards had the highest injury incidence (1.60 injuries per 1,000 hours), likely due to frequent high-intensity movements.
Centers had the lowest injury incidence (0.94 per 1,000 hours).
Players aged 23–28 had the most injuries (58.82%), while those over 35 had the highest injury rate per player, reflecting reduced recovery capacity.
4. Economic Impact of Injuries
Total estimated injury cost: €843,000 over four seasons (7.03% of the team's annual budget).
Most expensive injuries:
Achilles tendon injuries (€228,900)
Foot injuries (€172,800)
Hamstring injuries (€110,100)
Salary costs for injuries decreased over time, from 9.43% of the budget in 2020-21 to 4.44% in 2023-24, suggesting improved injury management.
Conclusion
The study demonstrates that professional basketball injuries are more frequent during games and have a higher impact in single-competition seasons. Muscle injuries, particularly hamstring and Achilles tendon injuries, represent the greatest burden in both time lost and financial cost. The findings emphasize the importance of injury prevention programs tailored to the competition structure and player-specific risk factors. Implementing structured recovery strategies and optimizing training loads could help reduce both injury incidence and severity. Future research should focus on refining prevention programs and analyzing injury trends across multiple teams to develop league-wide best practices.
Key Findings from the Study: "Injury and Illness Trends in the National Hockey League Following an Abrupt Cessation of Play"
Authors:
Adam M Pinkoski1 ,
Matthew Davies2 ,
Mark Sommerfeldt3 ,
Dean T Eurich1 , Don Voaklander1
1 Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alberta,
2 Computer Science, University of Alberta,
3 Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta Keywords: injury, COVID-19, NHL, ice hockey, epidemiology
https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.125738
International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy Vol. 19, Issue 12, 2024
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented disruption in professional sports, forcing the National Hockey League (NHL) to pause its 2019-2020 season in March 2020. The sudden break and subsequent adaptations—such as a shortened 2020-2021 season, condensed schedules, and evolving health protocols—introduced new challenges for player health and performance. Given the known risks associated with abrupt changes in training and competition schedules, this study examines the impact of these disruptions on injury and illness trends in the NHL from 2016 to 2023.
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Study - Key Findings
1. Impact of COVID-19 on Injuries and Illnesses
Abrupt cessation of play due to the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020) led to increased injury and illness incidence upon return.
Illness incidence spiked in December 2021 (IRR = 62.46, 95% CI 13.65 to 285.91), correlating with COVID-19 spread and NHL protocol changes.
2. Injury Trends Before and After the Pandemic
Upper body injuries significantly increased in 2020-21 and 2021-22:
2020-21: IRR = 1.70 (p = 0.001)
2021-22: IRR = 1.40 (p = 0.044)
Compared to pre-pandemic levels: 17.58 injuries per 1,000 player-hours
Injury incidence decreased significantly in the 2022-23 season.
Lower body injuries dropped significantly in 2022-23 (IRR = 0.04, p = 0.001).
3. Severity of Injuries
Mean Days Lost (MDL) increased post-pandemic:
2020-21: 18.12 days (vs. pre-pandemic 17.34 days, p < 0.001)
2021-22: 18.46 days (p = 0.015)
2022-23: 18.63 days (p < 0.001)
Upper and lower body injuries had the highest increases in severity.
4. Influence of Schedule Congestion
2021-22 season had a peak injury prevalence at 70% of season completion, linked to backlogged games (131 games postponed/rescheduled).
Rapid schedule congestion correlated with increased injuries, consistent with prior studies on high training loads.
5. Illness Trends and COVID-19 Protocols
COVID-related illnesses significantly increased in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
NHL protocol changes (reducing isolation from 10 to 5 days) influenced reported illness severity.
By 2022-23, illness rates returned to pre-pandemic levels.
6. Recommendations and Future Research
Offseason training adaptations are critical to mitigate injury risk after prolonged disruptions.
Further studies needed on modifiable risk factors, including training load and recovery protocols.
Exploration of optimal return-to-play strategies following abrupt schedule changes is necessary for sports medicine professionals.
Conclusion
The study highlights how the abrupt cessation of play and subsequent adaptations significantly impacted NHL player health. Injury incidence and severity rose in the two seasons following the disruption, particularly for upper body injuries, before stabilizing in 2022-23. The findings emphasize the importance of structured return-to-play protocols, workload management, and offseason preparation to mitigate injury risks after major interruptions. Future research should focus on refining training strategies and optimizing recovery protocols for elite athletes facing unexpected disruptions.
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