An injury profile of basketball players in Accra, Ghana.
Jonathan Quartey, Setordzor F Davor, Samuel K Kwakye
PMID 31061911WHAT IT FOUND
Tackling attempts caused 32 injuries (42.67%) and the knee had 16 injuries (21.33%) among 273 male basketball players in Accra. 64 injuries (85.33%) received no treatment, and 36 competition players and 20 training players returned immediately with pain or limping.
Key findings
01Tackling attempts were the most common cause of injury overall, with 32 injuries (42.67%) recorded.
02The knee was the most frequently injured body part, with 16 injuries (21.33%) recorded for competition and training combined.
03Most recorded injuries received no treatment (64, 85.33%), and 36 players in competition and 20 players in training returned immediately with pain or limping.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 273 male players from Division 1 and 2 teams in Accra, so it may not represent women, other teams, or other regions of Ghana. Only 52 competition injuries and 23 training injuries were recorded, so some percentages are based on small counts. Players were not followed up for days lost after injury, so the study cannot show how long injuries kept players out. The paper describes injuries and treatments; it does not test a prevention programme, so it cannot show which intervention would reduce injuries. Most injuries received no treatment, which may reflect the absence of physiotherapists, doctors, or first-aid personnel at team venues rather than a measured clinical outcome.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that knee braces, first-aid training, or physiotherapy-led prevention programmes reduce injuries. This paper describes recorded injuries among 273 male basketball players, and it did not test an intervention or follow players for days lost.