Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2025

A Neuroscientific Approach to the Examination of Concussions in Student-Athletes
Published on: December 8, 2014
Will the COVID-19 infection affect the performance of top basketball players? A data-driven analysis
Changyue Xiong1, Chenxi Wu1, Lu Bai1
1Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Purpose:
To investigate the changes in the game performance of high-level basketball players in NBA league before and after the COVID-19 infection.
Methods:
Athletic statistics were collected from official database for 68 players (19 forwards, 29 guards, 20 centers; mean age 27.14 ± 3.65 years) in the NBA league for 10 games before and after infection with COVID-19. We used a the Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance to examine the impact caused by COVID-19.
Results:
Among all 68 players, a statistically significant decrease in plus/minus (Z = -2.392, p = 0.017) and free throw shooting (FT% Z = -2.153, p = 0.031), occurred compared to the pre-infection with COVID-19. Among the interior players, we found a statistically significant decrease in free throw shooting FT% (Z = 2.674, p = 0.021), Plus/Minus (Z = -2.371, p = 0.018). Among centers and forwards, there was no statistically significant change.
Conclusion:
The impact of COVID-19 on players' fatigue and cardiorespiratory and muscular endurance may have contributed to the decline in performance, and the impact of detraining due to isolation should not be ignored.
Related Concept Videos
Social Facilitation
Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers
The essential diagnostic tools for detecting myocardial necrosis and monitoring individuals suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) include:
Troponins
Troponins, particularly cardiac troponins I and T, are the most precise and sensitive markers of myocardial injury. They are detectable within 4-6 hours of myocardial injury and remain...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Myocarditis I: Introduction

