Basketball is played by millions of athletes throughout the world and is th
e most popular team sport in American high schools. Basketball is the leadi
ng cause of sports-related injury in the United States. Acute basketball in
juries most often involve:the extremities, especially the hands, wrists, an
kles, and knees. This article reviews the history, epidemiology, and common
injury patterns that occur in this sport. We include several case reports
to emphasize diagnostic dilemmas frequently encountered by emergency physic
ians.