A new NBA injury study puts a sharper frame around Achilles risk.
Dr. Nirav Pandya shared research on 19 basketball-related NBA Achilles tendon ruptures from 2014 through 2025. The central finding: players' minutes rose significantly in the 10 to 15 games before rupture, even when their season-long workload looked normal.
The study reported that players averaged 29.0 minutes in the 10 games before injury compared with a 27.4-minute season average. Over the 15-game window, the figure was 28.6 minutes compared with the same 27.4-minute baseline. Both increases were statistically significant in the paper.
There was another layer. Veteran players generally carried heavier cumulative workloads, while less-experienced players suffered ruptures under lighter observed loads. The authors framed the findings as exploratory, not a simple prediction tool.
That distinction matters. The study does not say every minutes bump leads to an Achilles tear. It does say short-term workload spikes deserve more attention, especially in a league where stars routinely push through heavy stretches late in seasons and playoff runs.
No comments yet. Start the conversation.