Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are leading a groundbreaking multi-institutional research study to better understand and reduce musculoskeletal injuries among high-level basketball players. The study, titled “Musculoskeletal Injury Profiling of Elite Basketball Players: A Framework for Injury Mitigation Strategies Through Integration of Biomechanics, Imaging and Data Analytics,” began in August 2025 and will run through July 2026.

This research is made possible through UW-Madison’s collaboration with the NBA, National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), GE HealthCare, and Springbok Analytics, which are collectively providing expertise and technology capabilities to support advanced athlete monitoring, leading-edge imaging analysis, funding, and additional resources.

The project’s Principal Investigator is Dr. Bryan Heiderscheit, Frederick Gaenslen Professor in Orthopedics and Vice Chair for Research in the UW Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, and Director of UW Badger Athletic Performance. The UW research team includes Drs. Matthew Blomquist, Naoaki Ito, Mikel Joachim, Kenneth Lee, and Jack Martin, and research coordinators, Alex Gruber and Claire Tanaka. Also critical to the project’s success are the teams’ athletic training and strength and conditioning staff, and the personnel at the additional research sites: Brigham Young University (BYU) and the Technical University of Munich, Germany.

The current study builds on the collaboration’s 2023-24 NBA G League pilot. The UW research team led the analysis of that pilot study, and the insights gained informed and expanded the scope of the present work. The current season-long study prospectively monitors potential risk factors for injury among collegiate and adolescent basketball players by leveraging movement biomechanics, magnetic resonance (MR) and quantitative ultrasound imaging techniques, strength assessments, and player training load. The study also utilizes Springbok’s 3D muscle volume quantification analysis of MR images to establish a detailed anatomical reference, enabling biomechanics, strength, and workload data to be mapped and analyzed over time in relation to injury and recovery. Before the competitive season, athletes participating in the study underwent a detailed data collection session to measure tendon and muscle characteristics and strength. Then, at key points during and at the end of the season, these assessments are repeated – with additional testing when injuries occur to track severity and recovery.

Ultimately, through these regular, detailed assessments, including the use of a novel ultrasound technique developed at UW to measure ankle ligament stability, Dr. Heiderscheit and his team aim to better understand factors contributing to common lower-body injuries and how athletes recover to full performance.