Brief Summary
Hayden Baker, M.D., Andrew Rizzi, M.D., and Aravind Athiviraham, M.D.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666061X20300109
With the recent conclusion of the WNBA season this monthly research summary looks into the associated injury epidemiology by reviewing work by Baker, Rizzi and Athiviraham (2020). Established in 1997, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has grown in prominence in the United States. Despite the league's increasing popularity, research on injury risks among WNBA athletes is limited. Studies on female basketball players, particularly at the high school and collegiate levels, indicate a higher risk of knee and ankle injuries compared to their male counterparts. These findings align with the broader trend of higher injury incidence in female athletes across various sports. However, data specifically concerning WNBA players remain scarce, leaving a gap in understanding the injury patterns within this elite group.
Previous research consistently shows that female athletes at the collegiate level face higher injury rates than male athletes. Given this trend, the authors hypothesise that WNBA athletes would experience similar patterns of injury during their professional careers. The objective of this study was to assess injuries sustained by WNBA players, focusing on injury rates, types, and the number of games missed due to these injuries. The study specifically aimed to examine the prevalence of lower-extremity injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, which are known to be common in female athletes.
This retrospective study reviewed injuries occurring in WNBA athletes during the regular seasons from 2015 to 2019. Injury data were collected from publicly available reports across multiple websites and corroborated using at least two additional online sources. The inclusion criteria for reportable injuries required that the injury results in a referral to a team physician or emergency care and leads to missed games. The database compiled for this study included information on the player’s name, position, injury details, number of games missed, and demographic data such as age, height, and weight. Injuries occurring in the off-season or postseason were excluded.
Analysis of the data focused on injuries sustained during regular season games, with each athlete's participation in a game counted as one athletic exposure (AE). Injury incidence rates were calculated per 1000 AEs. During the study period, 12 WNBA teams participated in 34 regular-season games per year, with each team limited to a roster of 12 players. Across the five seasons, 195 injuries were reported among 720 players, with an injury incidence of 5.97 per 1000 AEs, leading to 1352 missed games.
Lower-extremity injuries were the most frequent, accounting for 73% of all injuries and 76% of games missed. The incidence rate of lower-extremity injuries was 4.38 per 1000 AEs, significantly higher than injuries to other body regions. Knee injuries were the most common, responsible for 29% of all injuries and 26% of games missed, with an incidence rate of 1.32 per 1000 AEs. Ankle injuries followed closely, accounting for 22% of all injuries and 33% of games missed. Lateral ankle sprains were the most frequent specific injury, representing 20% of total injuries, with an incidence rate of 1.19 per 1000 AEs. ACL tears, though less common (9%), resulted in the highest number of missed games (28%). Other notable injuries included concussions (10%) and foot injuries (9%).
These findings align with earlier research on the NBA, which identified lateral ankle sprains as the most frequent injury type. The high incidence of ankle sprains in basketball, likely due to frequent jumping and landing in crowded spaces, highlights the need for further research on ankle inversion injuries, especially among female athletes. Notably, knee injuries, particularly ACL tears, caused the most significant time loss, reflecting the severity of these injuries.
In comparison to the NBA, WNBA players had a lower overall injury incidence, likely due to differences in season length and game duration. WNBA athletes play 34 games per season, whereas NBA players face an 82-game season. The longer NBA season and game time may contribute to higher injury rates, especially due to fatigue, which has been linked to increased injury risk. This study provides valuable insights into injury patterns among WNBA athletes and underscores the need for further research on female athlete injuries in professional basketball. For insights on how KT360 can be used to mitigate injuries such as these, please contact support@kangatech.com.