Basketball players who drive past defenders to try and score are more likely to risk anterior cruciate ligament tears, researchers at Stanford (Calif.) University found.
Researchers analyzed player performance and injury data from 37 NBA seasons, according to a Nov. 5 news release. They identified 97 NBA players who had ACL tears, and 50 were analyzed.
The study found players with high career driving tendencies had ACL tears at a rate of 5.2 percent. Those with low driving tendencies had ACL tear rates of 3.8 percent. The findings were published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine.
Players who had ACL injuries returned to the court and performed as well as uninjured players of equal caliber after reconstruction surgery, the study also found.