Abstract
Objective: To compare game events, head contact (HC) rates, and suspected concussion incidence rates (IRs) in boys' and girls' youth basketball.
Design: Cross-sectional.
Setting: Canadian club basketball teams (U16-U18).
Participants: Players from 24 boys' and 24 girls' Canadian club basketball teams during the 2022 season.
Assessment of Risk Factors: Recorded games were analyzed using Dartfish video analysis software to compare sexes.
Main Outcome Measures: Poisson regression analyses were used to estimate HCs [direct (HC1) and indirect (HC2)], suspected concussion IRs, and IR ratios (IRRs). Game event, court location, and HC1 fouls were reported.
Results: Division 1 HC rates did not differ between boys (n = 238; IR = 0.50/10 player-minutes; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43-0.56) and girls (n = 220; IR = 0.46/10 player-minutes; 95% CI, 0.40-0.52). Division 2 boys experienced 252 HCs (IR = 0.53/10 player-minutes; 95% CI, 0.46-0.59); girls experienced 192 HCs (IR = 0.40/10 player-minutes; 95% CI, 0.35-0.46). Division 2 boys sustained higher HC1 IRs compared with Division 2 girls (IRR = 1.42; 95% CI, 1.15-1.74). Head contacts, rates did not differ between boys and girls in either Division. Suspected concussion IRs were not significantly different for boys and girls in each Division. Head contacts occurred mostly in the key for boys and girls in each Division. Despite illegality, HC1 penalization ranged from 3.9% to 19.7%. Head contact mechanisms varied across Divisions and sexes.
Conclusions: Despite current safety measures, both HCs and suspected concussions occur in boys' and girls' basketball. Despite the illegality and potential danger associated with HC, only a small proportion of direct HCs were penalized and therefore targeting greater enforcement of these contacts may be a promising prevention target.
Design: Cross-sectional.
Setting: Canadian club basketball teams (U16-U18).
Participants: Players from 24 boys' and 24 girls' Canadian club basketball teams during the 2022 season.
Assessment of Risk Factors: Recorded games were analyzed using Dartfish video analysis software to compare sexes.
Main Outcome Measures: Poisson regression analyses were used to estimate HCs [direct (HC1) and indirect (HC2)], suspected concussion IRs, and IR ratios (IRRs). Game event, court location, and HC1 fouls were reported.
Results: Division 1 HC rates did not differ between boys (n = 238; IR = 0.50/10 player-minutes; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43-0.56) and girls (n = 220; IR = 0.46/10 player-minutes; 95% CI, 0.40-0.52). Division 2 boys experienced 252 HCs (IR = 0.53/10 player-minutes; 95% CI, 0.46-0.59); girls experienced 192 HCs (IR = 0.40/10 player-minutes; 95% CI, 0.35-0.46). Division 2 boys sustained higher HC1 IRs compared with Division 2 girls (IRR = 1.42; 95% CI, 1.15-1.74). Head contacts, rates did not differ between boys and girls in either Division. Suspected concussion IRs were not significantly different for boys and girls in each Division. Head contacts occurred mostly in the key for boys and girls in each Division. Despite illegality, HC1 penalization ranged from 3.9% to 19.7%. Head contact mechanisms varied across Divisions and sexes.
Conclusions: Despite current safety measures, both HCs and suspected concussions occur in boys' and girls' basketball. Despite the illegality and potential danger associated with HC, only a small proportion of direct HCs were penalized and therefore targeting greater enforcement of these contacts may be a promising prevention target.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 284-289 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Early online date | 9 Jul 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 May 2025 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
Funding
The Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre is one of the International Research Centers for Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health, supported by the International Olympic Committee. The authors acknowledge funding from Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Alberta Innovates Health Solutions, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation. C.A.E. is supported by a Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Concussion. The authors acknowledge University of Calgary Dinos Athletics, Basketball Alberta Board of Directors, Coaches, administrators, and individuals involved in the validation process.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| University of Calgary Dinos Athletics | |
| Basketball Alberta Board | |
| Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions | |
| Hotchkiss Brain Institute | |
| International Olympic Committee | |
| Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation | |
| Canada Research Chairs | |
| Canadian Institute of Health Research |
Keywords
- basketball
- boys
- concussion
- girls
- head contact
- sport injury
- video analysis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
- Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
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