Epidemiology of injuries in British basketball: a retrospective cross-sectional study

To describe injury epidemiology in British basketball, assess sex-based differences and injury risk factors.

122 athletes from British basketball leagues and national teams completed an online questionnaire collecting demographic, sporting and injury data from the 2021/2022 season. A medical-attention and 24-hour time-loss injury definition was used. Injury incidence rate (IIR) (injuries/1000 athlete-exposure (AE) hours) was calculated as (number of injuries/season AE-hours)×1000. Mann-Whitney tests assessed sex differences in IIRs. Χ² tests assessed sex differences in injury proportions. Linear regression assessed relationships between IIR and reported risk factors.

46 men and 76 women (median age (IQR): 23.0 years (19.0-26.0)) reported 140 injuries. Median IIR was 2.1 injuries/1000 AE-hours (IQR: 0.0-3.5). Lower limb injuries were most common (70.7%), specifically ankle (32.9%) and knee (25.7%). No significant sex differences were noted in injury site, type, mechanism, timing or severity. Higher IIR was associated with advancing age (B=0.182, 95% CI: 0.038 to 0.325, p=0.014), increased weight (B=0.140, 95% CI: 0.071 to 0.210, p≤0.001), female sex (B=2.214, 95% CI: 0.424 to 4.003, p=0.016), comorbidities (B=2.782, 95% CI: 0.967 to 4.598, p=0.003) and 1-3 years of elite experience (B=2.950, 95% CI: 1.561 to 4.340, p≤0.001 vs 3-8 years). Guards (B=4.996, 95% CI: 3.603 to 6.389, p≤0.001) and forwards (B=3.180, 95% CI: 1.627 to 4.732, p≤0.001) were associated with higher IIR than centres.

Lower limb injuries were most common. IIR was positively associated with age, weight, female sex, comorbidities and 1-3 years of elite experience. Guards and forwards had the strongest associations compared with centres. Findings may inform targeted injury prevention strategies. Future research should prospectively assess injury risk.