CHICAGO and WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), and the Next Gen Basketball Players Union (NBGPU) have announced a collaboration with GE HealthCare and MedStar Health to conduct a pioneering research study on musculoskeletal and joint health. This longitudinal pilot study aims to quantify the impact of playing, training, and rest over a professional basketball season.
The study collected data from a dedicated cohort of G League players who volunteered to participate for the duration of the 2023-24 season. It used wearable technologies to correlate cumulative training and game loads with advanced imaging (MRI and Ultrasound) and biomechanical and kinematic assessments. The findings are expected to improve understanding of cumulative loads experienced throughout a basketball season, focusing on structural and functional changes in the knee joint.
Erin Angel, PhD, VP, Research & Scientific Affairs at GE Healthcare stated, “GE HealthCare is excited to team up with the NBA and the participating G League players on this pioneering study." She further added that they hope "to find innovations in how athletes can address their musculoskeletal and joint health concerns."
Wiemi Douoguih, MD, Medical Director at MedStar Sports Medicine expressed that injuries can take a huge toll on professional athletes' careers. He emphasized that "this research lays the foundation to help us better understand the balance between playing, training, and rest."
Scott Magargee, CEO and Co-Founder of Springbok Analytics expressed pleasure at continuing their ongoing collaboration with the NBA for this study. Asheesh Bedi, MD, Chief Medical Officer at National Basketball Players Association highlighted that this first-of-its-kind study on workload is invaluable in advancing "the health and wellness of our athletes."
The technology used in this study includes GE HealthCare’s SIGNA™ Premier 3.0T wide-bore MRI scanner enabled with AIRTM Recon DL AI software for fast high-resolution imaging, and specialized ultrashort-TE T2 star research sequences to identify structural and compositional changes in the knee joint. Springbok Analytics’ AI-based 3D muscle analysis was used to better understand players’ muscle health.
This work is the latest addition to MedStar Health’s portfolio of orthopedic and sports medicine-related research projects, which include studies with other professional leagues and federations on topics ranging from injury prevention, innovative surgical techniques, and the application of novel 3D printing technology.