GENERALIZED JOINT HYPERMOBILITY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO INJURY PATTERNS AMONG NCAA BASKETBALL PLAYERS

The purpose of this study was to prospectively observe and compare injury patterns between hypermobile and nonhypermobile NCAA athletes. Athletes from 23 teams (194 male, 182 female [376]) were screened for generalized joint hypermobility prior to the beginning of the 1995-96 basketball season using the widely-accepted Carter-Wilkinson-Beighton technique with a 5/9 criteria for hypermobility. During the full season, certified athletic trainers prospectively recorded injuries and hours of participation on a standard form. An injury was only considered if it caused the athlete to miss one or more practices or games. Injury patterns were compared between hypermobiles and nonhypermobiles. Nine of 194 males (4.6%), and 40/182 (22%) females were hypermobile (p<.001), yielding an overall prevalence of 13%. Exposure hours for the season were roughly the same (p >.05) between hypermobiles (210.11 per athlete) and nonhypermobiles (214.33). One hundred fifty one injuries were sustained by 125 athletes (134 by nonhypermobiles, 17 by hypermobiles). There were no significant differences (p = .66) in injury rate among hypermobiles (2.01/1,000 hours) compared to nonhypermobiles (1.81/1,000 hrs). Further, there was no difference found for any specific injury type or severity between hypermobiles and nonhypermobiles. The only significant finding was that nonhypermobiles were referred to physicians (69/134, 51.5%) at a higher rate than hypermobiles (4/17, 23.5%; p<.05). The prevalence of joint hypermobility and the significant gender differences found in this study are generally in agreement with the literature. There was no difference in injury rates or types between hypermobiles and nonhypermobiles in this athletic sample. There is significant evidence in the literature that hypermobility may be a factor in joint complaints among nonathletes, however, other studies have failed to find similar results in athletes. Because of this, we believe that hypermobiles should not be dissuaded from participating in sports.

1998 "Generalized joint hypermobility and its relationship to injury patterns among NCAA basketball players (Abstract)." Med Sci Sprt Ex, Vol 30:5, Supplement.