An assessment of basketball injuries in Kenya

Abstract

Basketball is, theoretically, a no-contact game, but it has been established that personal contact cannot be avoided entirely when 10 players are moving with great speed over a limited space. Due to this obvious contact, high tempers and friction, so many injuries have occurred during games, which have led to loss of playing time as well as physical and psychological consequences. This study investigated the aetiology and time course of the injuries in both male and female basketball players during the first phase of the 1997National Basketball Classic League, in order to detect a substantial typology of sports injuries and offer special programmes for their prevention. Results indicated that the main aetiological factors were the opponent, the floor and type of shoes. Most of the injuries occurred during pressure defences and inside plays. No major difference was found in the pattern of injuries between the male and female players. Based on results of this study, it will seem that the number and severity of injuries in basketball could be minimised, if the rules and mechanics of officiating pressure defences, charged/ block and inside-plays are amended.