Injury epidemiology in international basketball: a six-season study of the Great Britain men's basketball team.

Abstract

To report the injury epidemiology of the Great Britain's (GB) men's basketball team games and training over a 6-season period. Non-time loss (NTL) and time-loss (TL) injuries were recorded throughout 14 international windows (2018-2024). Exposure (player-hours) was recorded for team training and games. NTL and TL injury incidence is presented per 1000 player-hours (p/1000 h; 95% CI) for training, games and overall exposure. TL severity (days-lost) and burden (days-lost/1000 h; 95% CI) was calculated, with incidence rate ratios (IRR, 95% CI) comparing game and training incidence for each definition. Throughout the study period, 113 injuries were recorded, of which 65 were GB related (43 NTL and 22 TL). Game injury incidence was significantly greater than training for TL (96/1000 h; 95% CI 33-159 versus 6/1000 h; 95% CI 2-9; IRR = 17; 95% CI 7-44) and NTL (75/1000 h; 95% CI 10-131 versus 7/1000 h; 95% CI 3-11; IRR = 11; 95% CI 4-28) injury definitions. Overall, most TL injuries occurred at the ankle (36%, 5/1000 h; 95% CI 2-9) and NTL injuries at the knee (19%, 5/1000 h; 95% CI 2-9). 31 overuse injuries were recorded, with 25% lower limb tendinopathies. TL injury severity ranged from 1 to 30 days, with injury burden for games (675/1000 h; 95% CI 234-1116) greater than training (48/1000 h; 95% CI 55-133). The reported game injury incidence is high, with a large prevalence of NTL injuries. Lower limb injuries were most common, particularly overuse knee injuries. Preventative strategies need to be specific in the international basketball context, where camps are short but intense in duration.