Facial Trauma in Collegiate and Professional Basketball: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: Basketball continues to gain popularity globally, but the patterns and effects of basketball-related facial trauma (FT) have yet to be well studied. OBJECTIVES: Characterize the prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes of FT in collegiate and professional basketball and guide prevention strategies. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search utilizing PRISMA guidelines identified articles on FT among collegiate and professional basketball players using Ovid Medline, Embase, and article reference lists. RESULTS: Of the 164 unique articles identified, 10 were included in our review. FT accounts for 3.9% of injuries in the NBA, and athletes have a 12.6% risk of FT per season. FT rates are increasing over time at the professional and collegiate levels. A total of 32.1% of NBA players sustaining FT were treated operatively. Although FT accounted for 255 missed games over 17 years and correlated with shorter careers, player performance was unaffected. Resistance to the use of personal protective equipment has been reported, despite the significant associated mitigation of FT risk. CONCLUSIONS: In collegiate and professional basketball, FT and its sequelae are common. Although facemasks and mouthguards have the potential to protect players from FT-related injuries, many players opt out of wearing these due to discomfort and league culture.