Published Paper Details:

Background: Wheelchair basketball, an adapted version of the sport, has been integral to the Paralympic Games (POG) since the 1960s, providing individuals with diverse physical disabilities a platform for competitive engagement. However, despite the recognition of sports injuries and their multifaceted effects on athletes' physiology, physical well-being, and psychology, there remains a gap in understanding specific aspects within the context of wheelchair basketball. This study addresses the existing limitations in defining and describing injuries, particularly concerning their location, mechanisms, and risk factors. Aim: This study investigates common injuries in wheelchair basketball athletes, primary injuries, and affected anatomical regions in wheelchair basketball athletes. Material and methods: The data was collected from various databases and search engines like Google Scholar, PubMed, Research Gate, and Science Direct using the following keywords: "sports injuries", "common injuries", "wheelchair athletes", and "para-athletes". Results: Ninety-seven studies were initially identified, with full reading conducted for 79 articles. Sixty articles were excluded for not meeting inclusion criteria, resulting in a final analysis of 19 studies. After reviewing 19 articles the study found that the shoulder was the most affected region and the upper body was the most affected body segment. The least affected were lower limbs. Discussion: The study indicates that wheelchair basketball athletes experience diverse injuries primarily linked to the biomechanics of anatomical structures. The upper limbs, particularly the shoulder region, exhibited the highest injuries. The prevalence of contact in the sport significantly influences the injury pattern, with the shoulder, hand, head, and spine identified as the most affected body regions in this research.