Athletic Performance at the National Basketball Association Combine After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Issue 5 (25th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mehran, Nima; Williams, Phillip N.; Keller, Robert A.; Khalil, Lafi S.; Lombardo, Stephen J.; Kharrazi, F. Daniel
• Is Part Of: Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine. Volume 4:Issue 5(2016:May)
• Publication Date: 2016-05-25
• Subjects: ACL reconstruction -- NBA -- basketball -- functional performance; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Orthopedics -- Periodicals; Arthroscopy -- Periodicals; Arthroplasty -- Periodicals; Knee -- Surgery -- Periodicals; 616.7
• DOI: 10.1177/2325967116648083
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2325-9671

Abstract

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are significant injuries in elite-level basketball players. In-game statistical performance after ACL reconstruction has been demonstrated; however, few studies have reviewed functional performance in National Basketball Association (NBA)–caliber athletes after ACL reconstruction. Purpose: To compare NBA Combine performance of athletes after ACL reconstruction with an age-, size-, and position-matched control group of players with no previous reported knee injury requiring surgery. We hypothesized that there is no difference between the 2 groups in functional performance. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 1092 NBA-caliber players who participated in the NBA Combine between 2000 and 2015 were reviewed. Twenty-one athletes were identified as having primary ACL reconstruction prior to participation in the combine. This study group was compared with an age-, size-, and position-matched control group in objective functional performance testing, including the shuttle run test, lane agility test, three-quarter court sprint, vertical jump (no step), and maximum vertical jump (running start). Results: With regard to quickness and agility, both ACL-reconstructed athletes and controls scored an average of 11.5 seconds in the lane agility test and 3.1 seconds in the shuttle run test ( P = .745 and .346, respectively). Speed and acceleration was measured by the three-quarter court sprint, in which both the study group and the control group averaged 3.3 seconds ( P = .516). In the maximum vertical jump, which demonstrates an athlete's jumping ability with a running start, the ACL reconstruction group had an average height of 33.6 inches while the controls averaged 33.9 inches ( P = .548). In the standing vertical jump, the ACL reconstruction group averaged 28.2 inches while the control group averaged 29.2 inches ( P = .067). Conclusion: In athletes who are able to return to sport and compete at a high level such as the NBA Combine, there is no significant difference in any combine performance test between players who have had primary ACL reconstruction compared with an age-, size-, and position-matched control group. Clinical Relevance: Athletes with previous ACL reconstruction who are able to return to high-level professional basketball have equivalent performance measures with regard to speed, quickness, and jumping ability as those athletes who have not undergone knee surgery.