Korean J Sports Med.  2022 Jun;40(2):94-101. 10.5763/kjsm.2022.40.2.94.

Descriptive Epidemiology of Injuries in Professional Basketball Players during the 2020‒2021 Korean Basketball League Season

• Song M
• Choi S

• KMID: 2530312
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5763/kjsm.2022.40.2.94

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to analyze the injury epidemiology of Korean Basketball League (KBL) players.
Methods
Exposures and injury data were collected from 19 men’s professional basketball players of a single team who participated in the 2020– 2021 KBL season. Injury data included injured body parts, injury mechanisms, injury diagnoses, activities, playing positions, and time loss. Injury rates (IRs) were calculated using the athletic exposure (AE) method.
Results
A total of 49 injuries were reported during the study period. The overall IR was 9.13 per 1,000 AEs and 0.11 per 1,000 time exposures (TEs). Competition IR was 23.9 per 1,000 AEs, and it was approximately 3.9 times higher than practice IR (6.1 per 1,000 AEs). Preseason IR was 2.5 times higher than regular season IR (15.5 per 1,000 AEs and 6.2 per 1,000 AEs, respectively). Ankle was the most frequently injured body part (26.5%), followed by trunk and spine (14.3%), knee (12.2%), and lower legs (12.2%). The majority of the competition injury mechanisms were player contact (54.5%). The majority of the practice injury mechanisms were noncontact (37.0%) and overuse (33.3%). Sprain accounted for the largest proportion with 28.6% overall, followed by strain (22.4%), and low back pain (12.2%).
Conclusion
KBL professional basketball players experience higher IR during the regular season than in the preseason. The competition IR was higher than the practice IR during the study period. Lateral ankle sprains were the most commonly reported specific injuries.

Keyword

Korean Basketball League; Basketball injuries; Athletic injuries; Injury prevention; Injury epidemiology

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