Basketball is a dynamic game of high intensity which exposes athletes’ bodies to numerous loads. Through the thesis we examine how playing of basketball affects the joint health, particularly the health of articular cartilage, and the development of osteoarthritis of lower extremities. The literature mainly explores acute and chronic sport injuries of muscle-tendon system. Thus, after a comprehensive literature research we have come to the conclusion that the effects of physical demands of basketball, injuries, and other relevant factors on joint health and health of articular surfaces have rarely been examined. We have, therefore, turned our attention to the analysis of existent researches where we have tried to gather as many relevant data and information about the subject matter as possible. Accordingly, we have established that the injuries of articular surfaces and the development of osteoarthritis of lower extremities are frequent among the basketball players, particularly in knee and hip joints. Further, the development of osteoarthritis is influenced by various determinants which are sometimes hard to identify due to the complexity of the carried-out research itself. Among the identified determinants which influence the development of osteoarthritis the most are past injuries, past operative procedures, malalignments, and, indirectly due to the typical loads it causes on an athlete’s body, a type of sport. Named risk factors are highly present in basketball, therefore, the articular cartilage degeneration and injuries of articular surfaces are quite common among the basketball players. Most often, basketball players, active or former, suffer with advanced-stage osteoarthritis in knee and hip joint, which may cause them to experience pain during movement and may reduce their mobility, both of which may at the same time lead to reduced quality of life. Furthermore, almost one quarter of former basketball players is in need of a surgical treatment of articular cartilage degeneration. Thus, we can conclude that articular cartilage degenerations are quite common in basketball and, therefore, as they lead to reduced quality of life and encumber everyday activities, deserve much more attention during research as well as when it comes to the practical measures. Having become aware of the fact that reducing and managing of the risk factors may positively affect the development and progression of degenerations, we defined the measures aimed at managing multiple risk factors at once, which primarily consist of exercises.
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