The NBA and GE Healthcare have announced an agreement to promote orthopedic and sports medicine research as they look to improve the health and playing longevity of professional athletes. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the players’ well-being was the driving force behind this move, and called it the league’s highest priority.
One of the primary focuses of the agreement is on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of NBA players. This includes exploring different ways to minimize the occurrence of injuries, and ultimately help lengthen player careers. The initiative is also aimed at improving post-career health for professional athletes. The two sides will collaborate with Adidas, Nike, Under Armour and healthcare firm Kaiser Permanente to help advance the research regarding foot and leg injuries.
A New Partnership
The multi-year partnership will focus mainly on acute musculoskeletal injuries. Those injuries can affect everything from muscles to joints and cartilage. They are exasperated by repeat motion and excess amounts of force, which is commonplace in the NBA.
The league and GE will fund research delving into orthopedic conditions, which they believe will hopefully lead to “a deeper understanding of overuse injuries and the resulting impact on athletes’ health and missed playing time,” according to officials.
This joint effort will be spearheaded by an advisory board composed of physicians and clinical researchers who represent institutions across the United States by displaying excellence in orthopedics, sports medicine and other related practices.
By joining with GE Healthcare, the Association is investing in research that could benefit players moving forward as they look to keep them healthy during the grueling 82-game season.
While the program is geared toward protecting some of the sports’ premiere athletes, it was also designed to help athletes of all skill levels and ages, as the knowledge can be applied to anyone leading an active lifestyle.
The NBA
The NBA is a global sports and media business made up of three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association and the NBA Development League. The league has an immense international presence with offices worldwide and territories in more than 40 languages. The NBA is the No. 1 professional sports league on social media according to the metrics, with nearly 835 million likes and followers globally.
GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare provides medical technologies worldwide. The organization covers everything from medical imaging to drug discovery and it helps medical professionals bring efficient, reliable healthcare to their patients and clients.
