Are Basketball Players Especially at Risk?

Newswise — Lately, there have been several reports in the media about basketball players experiencing pulmonary embolism (PE). PE is a serious risk to older people and so it is a surprise when young athletes present this condition. Researchers reviewed cases of PE among basketball players from 2010-2015 seasons in several leagues, and incidence rates for both the Spanish League (ACB) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) were computed. Incidence rates of PE among basketball players produce 2.06 cases per thousand for the ACB players and 1.27 per thousand for the NBA players. Basketballers are exposed to high levels of effort which may result in a process of chronic inflammation, repeated injuries, frequent air travel (economy-class syndrome) and the subsequent immobility, novel treatments of injuries such as platelet-rich plasma and a whole series of additional circumstances. This study shows there is limited evidence of higher risk, so more research is needed.

View the study’s abstract or contact the investigator.