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

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Epidemiology
• Basketball Analytics

Background:

• Hamstring injuries are prevalent in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
• Limited epidemiological data exists for these injuries in professional basketball.
• Understanding injury patterns is crucial for player health and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the epidemiology of hamstring injuries in the NBA over four seasons.
• To analyze the impact of hamstring injuries on player performance outcomes.
• To investigate the mechanisms of hamstring injury through video analysis.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive epidemiological study design was employed.
• Data included publicly available NBA injury reports, player statistics, and game footage (2019-2022).
• Video analysis of 45 injuries was conducted to determine injury mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Guards accounted for the highest proportion of hamstring injuries (65.7%).
• Players missed an average of 5.5 games, with significant reinjury rates (16.0% ipsilateral, 5.0% contralateral within 3 months).
• Player performance declined post-injury, with higher reinjury rates and performance drops observed in high-performing players.

Conclusions:

• Hamstring injuries significantly impact NBA player performance and career longevity.
• Most non-contact injuries occur during plant/jump movements on offense.
• Awareness of injury mechanisms and player-specific risk factors is vital for effective prevention strategies.