Perceptions of Physical Therapy and The Role of Physical Therapists In Injury Prevention Among Professional Basketball Players: A Qualitative Study.
Alison Marks, Carol A Courtney, William E Healey
PMID 37795332WHAT IT FOUND
Professional basketball players view physical therapists mainly for post-injury rehab, not prevention.
They trust athletic trainers for prevention due to constant presence and expertise. Players often did not know if their team had a PT on staff.
Key findings
01The majority of players associated physical therapy with post-injury rehabilitation rather than injury prevention.
02Athletic trainers were the preferred provider for injury prevention, cited by the vast majority of players, while physical therapists were rarely chosen for this role.
03A significant portion of players were unaware whether their team employed a physical therapist, despite many teams having one listed.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study used a convenience sample of 35 players from over 20 teams, which may not represent the views of all professional basketball players. The findings reflect perceptions and knowledge gaps rather than clinical outcomes or efficacy of any intervention.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these findings as evidence that physical therapists are ineffective for injury prevention. The study reports player perceptions and knowledge gaps, not clinical outcomes or the actual quality of care provided.