title: Time trends for injuries and illness, and their relation to performance in the National Basketball Association.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To survey injury/illness in the National Basketball Association over a 25-year period and examine the relationship of injury/illness to team performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective correlational design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Trends were examined in reported numbers of players injured/ill during a season and games missed due to injury/illness from seasons ending in 1986 through 2005. This period was compared to years 2006-2010, when NBA teams were allowed to increase the total number of players on the team from 12 to 15.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a highly significant trend (p<0.0001) of increasing numbers of players injured/ill and games missed from 1986 through 2005. After the team expansion in 2006, these rates fell abruptly by 13% and 39% respectively (both p<0.0001 compared to the previous 5-year period). We also found a significant inverse association between games missed due to injury/illness and percent games won (r=-0.29, p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results demonstrate an increased rate of injury in the National Basketball Association up until the expansion of team size in 2006. Following 2006, team expansion was positively associated with decreased injury/illness rates. The latter finding suggests the importance of maintaining a healthy roster with respect to winning outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Utah, United States. Electronic address: les.podlog@utah.edu.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Podlog
authors.affiliation: Buhler Athletic Injuries & Human Performance Clinic, United States.
authors.forename: Craig F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Buhler
authors.affiliation: Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, United States.
authors.forename: Harvey
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pollack
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, United States.
authors.forename: Paul N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Utah, United States.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Burgess
mesh_terms: D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D001490:Basketball / Q000293:injuries* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D003098:Collective Bargaining; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Collective bargaining agreement; Games missed; Injury reporting; Team performance