Sports medicine stats: Return to play and performance after basketball injuries
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
A recent study examined return-to-play rates and performance outcomes after different orthopaedic procedures in National Basketball Association (NBA) players. The study aimed to determine which surgeries are associated with the worst postoperative change in performance.
The return to play rates were highest in patients with hand/wrist fractures (98.1%) and lowest for those with Achilles tears (70.8%). Interestingly, age 30 and older and body mass index ≥27 kg/m2 were predictors of not returning to play. Players undergoing Achilles tendon repair and arthroscopic knee surgery had a significantly greater drop in postoperative performance outcomes at the 1- and 3-year time points and had shorter career lengths compared with the other procedures.
Source: American Journal of Sports Medicine, Published online January 22, 2016
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
Association (NBA) players. The study aimed to determine which surgeries are associated with the worst postoperative change in performance.