Epidemiology and Video Analysis of Hamstring Injuries in the National Basketball Association.

CONTEXT: Hamstring injuries are common in the National Basketball Association (NBA); however, there is a paucity of epidemiological data regarding these injuries.

OBJECTIVE

The primary aims of this study were to characterize the epidemiology and performance outcomes of hamstring injuries in the NBA over 4 seasons. Secondary aims were to analyze the mechanism of hamstring injury through video analysis.

DESIGN

Descriptive epidemiology study.

SETTING

Publicly available injury reports, player statistics, and game footage from the NBA over 4 seasons (2019-2022).

PATIENTS OR OTHER

PARTICIPANTS

We included a total of 181 injuries sustained by NBA players for analysis. We analyzed available video film for 45 players to determine the mechanism of injury.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We recorded player demographics and performance data. We used Game Score, which uses box score statistics such as points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks to measure player performance. We compared performance outcomes by age, body mass index, game score, and position using paired t tests.

RESULTS

By position, guards experienced the highest proportion of injuries (65.7%). Players injured their left hamstring most frequently (59.6%; P = .044). Players missed an average of 5.5 games after injury. Within 3 months of returning to play, 16.0% reinjured their ipsilateral hamstring and 5.0% injured their contralateral hamstring. Player performance declined after injury in the short and long term by -1.1 and -0.8 game score units, respectively. Video analysis revealed most injuries were noncontact (62.2%) and occurred as a player initiated a plant/jump movement with the injured extremity (41.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

High-performing players have higher rates of reinjury and a more significant decline in performance compared with low-performing players. Most injuries occurred on offense when the injured player was jumping or landing. Due to the frequency of hamstring injuries, awareness of injury mechanisms and characteristics of injury can be useful for risk mitigation purposes.