NBA News 2015: League Announces Partnership for Sports Injury Research

The NBA announced Wednesday that it is embarking on a thrust to promote injury prevention research, partnering with GE Healthcare to aid its cause in learning more about orthopedic and sports medicine.

"The multi-year alliance will focus on joint health and acute and overuse musculoskeletal injuries"”challenges faced by NBA players and the general population alike," the press release reads.

"Serving to advance the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions among NBA players, the effort aims to promote health and wellness, reduce injuries, lengthen careers and improve post-career health for NBA players. GE and the NBA will also collaborate with additional partners, including NBA partners Adidas, Kaiser Permanente, NIKE and Under Armour, to advance the research efforts."

According to Tom Haberstroh of ESPN, NBA commissioner Adam Silver first announced plans to create such a committee and research infrastructure back in late 2013.

As noted by Ball Don't Lie, the past NBA seasons have seen a litany of injuries to its biggest stars that have had an effect on the competitive structure of the league.

In the past NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers played without two its stars in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. The Oklahoma City Thunder lost Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka this past season, Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls have been battling knee issues for three years, and Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant has seen his last three seasons abruptly ended by varying injuries.

According to the release, Dr. John Fiori, NBA director of sports medicine and a former president of the American Association for Sports Medicine, will serve as the chair of the board, and will be joined on the board by five physicians from five NBA teams.

 "The NBA and GE will also provide funding for clinical researchers working to study diagnostic and preventative techniques to identify risks for the development of orthopedic conditions. This research will contribute to a deeper understanding of overuse injuries and the resulting impact on athletes' health and missed playing time. The findings from this research will support the work of NBA team physicians and medical staffs as they continue to provide world-class medical care in the treatment of NBA players. The NBA and GE plan to elicit research proposals later this year," the release adds.