Sign in Subscribe
Sports associations

Return-to-Play Performance after Injury in NBA Players: Investigative Findings

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

NBA players who return to play after injury experience significant decreases in minutes per game, field goal points, and field goal attempts, according to a recent study published in the Central European Journal of Sport Sciences and Medicine. The research, conducted by Elif Cengizel and team at Gazi University, aimed to compare return-to-play performance after injury in NBA players based on surgery status, skin color, player positions, injury location, type, and duration. The findings provide valuable indicators for sports medicine physicians, coaches, and practitioners to better understand the impact of injury on return-to-play performance.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study examined 54 NBA players who sustained an injury between 2018 and 2022 seasons, with a significant decrease in minutes per game (MPG) from 27.4±8.4min pre-injury to 25.5±6.9min post-injury (p=.019).
  • Field goal points (FGP) and field goal attempts (FGA) also showed significant decreases, with FGP dropping from 5.4±2.9 pre-injury to 2.4±0.3 post-injury (p=.008) and FGA decreasing from 11.6±5.9 pre-injury to 5.2±0.7 post-injury (large ES: 1.52, p=.004).
  • The majority of injured athletes underwent surgery (70.4%), with 72.2% being black skin color players, and most injuries occurring in the lower extremity (40.7%).
  • The study highlights the importance of considering injury factors in return-to-play performance, providing a guide for sports medicine physicians, coaches, and practitioners.

Statistics:

  • 70.4% of injured NBA players underwent surgery.
  • 54 NBA players were examined in the study.
  • Injury duration between 7-30 days affected 31.5% of the players.
  • MPG decreased by 1.9 minutes post-injury (from 27.4±8.4min to 25.5±6.9min).
  • FGP decreased by 3.0 points post-injury (from 5.4±2.9 to 2.4±0.3).

Sources:

  • Central European Journal of Sport Sciences and Medicine, 2025,49.
  • NewsRx. Researchers from Gazi University Publish Research in Sports Medicine (Return-to-play performance after injury in National Basketball Association League basketball players). Health & Medicine Week. August 22, 2025; p 1576.

Read more