Davor Setordzor Frederick¹

Jonathan Quartey²

¹Physiotherapy Department, Volta regional hospital, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana.

²Department of Physiotherapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana.

Correspondence:

Frederick Davor

Physiotherapy Department,

Volta regional hospital,

Ho, Volta Region,

Ghana

Telephone: +233-506293910/ +233-261816817

Email:bsetordzor@yahoo.com

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to identify the pattern of injuries among Ghanaian basketball players.

Relevance

Management of sport injuries is key in physiotherapy practice. Identifying and understanding the mechanism and pattern of injury in sports is a very important factor in the effective and efficient management and rehabilitation of sports injuries. There seems to be a paucity of literature about basketball injuries in Ghana which therefore raises issues about the documentation and management of such injuries when they occur. This invariably makes it difficult to develop proper injury prevention strategies to help minimizethe occurrence of such injuries which in turn can affects the players’ overall maximum performance.

Participants

The study involved all 273 male players of the division one and two basketball teams in Accra that were registered with the Greater Accra Basketball Association.

Methods

A standardized injury report form was used by the investigators to record the occurrence of injuries in this observational study.Records were taken during 2013 Greater Accra Basketball league season at their training sessions and during league matches.

Analysis

Z-test for two proportions was used to determine differences in the causes of injury, body part injured, type of injury, treatment received and player’s level of recovery following an injury. All tests were two-tailed and interpreted significant at a p-value less than 0.05.

Result

A total of 75 injuries were recorded and the injury incidence was 0.190 and 0.084 per 100 participants during competition and training respectively. Tackling attempts (42.67%) was the most common causes of injuries followed by others (30.67%), (dribbling, landing from a jump, sudden stop and jumping) of the causes of injury recorded. Sprain (28%) was the most occurring injury recorded. Injuries to the knee (21.33%) were more than those to the ankle (17.33%). The difference between the knee and ankle injury was not significant (P=0.532). Out of the total injury recorded, (85.33%) did not receive any treatment.

Conclusion

Injuries to the knee were more than those to the ankle and majority of the injuries recorded had no treatment.Further studies should be undertaken to involve players of all basketball teams in Ghana to help develop a National injury profile and also follow up on the number of day(s) loss in basketball participation following an injury.

Implication

Physiotherapist should educate players and coaches about injury prevention (especially about protective equipment) and subsequently about the need to prioritize injury treatment when they occur.

Key words:pattern, injuries, rehabilitation

Ethical Approval

Approval to conduct the study was sought and obtained from the School of Allied Health Sciences Ethics and Protocol Review Committee.

Funding Source: None