The NBA has been swept up in its own kind of March Madness.
As of late March 2026, several major NBA players are dealing with significant injuries, with some ruled out for the rest of the 2025-26 season.
Key injuries include Lakers star LeBron James (elbow contusion and left foot arthritis), Memphis’s Ja Morant (UCL sprain in the left elbow), and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, who has missed extensive time with an oblique injury.
According to a study from the National Library of Medicine, the NBA has between 1,500 and almost 1,900 reported injuries each year, leading to thousands of missed games. Injury rates are often higher than 19 for every 1,000 times a player is on the court.
This makes NBA sports medicine teams invaluable for maintaining player health, maximizing performance, and extending careers, which directly impact team success and franchise value.
These teams deliver comprehensive, multidisciplinary care, including orthopedic surgery, injury prevention, and load management, all of which are essential in a demanding, high-stakes league.
In this blog, we will break down these injuries and how sports medicine teams are likely supporting and managing these star players.
Lakers LeBron James
During a March 18th game against the Houston Rockets, the 41-year-old charged down the court in the final quarter for a layup. Moments later, Rockets standout Jabari Smith Jr. tangled arms with LeBron, toppling him to the floor, where he grabbed his elbow in visible pain.
Earlier in the month, LeBron suffered a similar setback against the Denver Nuggets, spraining his elbow after a clumsy tumble. He was also dealing with a right hip contusion, which he sustained a few days later. Combined with his ongoing left foot arthritis, these injuries forced him to miss three consecutive games.
Key Injury Management and Details
- Left Elbow Injury: Sustained in a game against the Nuggets in early March, causing severe pain and requiring in-game treatment and ongoing icing.
- Left Foot Arthritis: A persistent issue affecting him since January, frequently leaving him on the injury report. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, common treatments include wearing supportive footwear with stiff soles, using custom orthotics, engaging in low-impact exercise (e.g., swimming), and taking NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen).
- Right Sciatica/Hip: Earlier in the 2025-26 season, he faced severe nerve pain (sciatica) and later a hip contusion. A study from the National Library of Medicine reports that severe nerve pain, such as sciatica, is typically managed with a combination of rest, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy to reduce nerve irritation and improve mobility. As symptoms improve, strengthening and stretching exercises are introduced to help prevent recurrence.
LeBron’s recent stretch of injuries, ranging from acute trauma (elbow sprain, hip contusion) to chronic conditions (foot arthritis) and neuropathic involvement (sciatica), highlights the complexity of managing both pain and performance in elite athletes.
In these scenarios, treatment strategies often need to balance effective symptom control with minimal systemic burden, particularly during a long NBA season.
One area of sports medicine that continues to gain traction is the use of targeted topical therapies as part of a multimodal recovery plan. For acute inflammatory injuries, such as an elbow sprain or hip contusion, topical NSAIDs (e.g., ketoprofen-based formulations) can deliver anti-inflammatory effects directly to the affected tissue.
In the case of a hip contusion, topical anesthetics such as lidocaine may also provide short-term pain relief by reducing local nerve signaling, particularly in the early phases when pain can limit movement and function.
Together, these targeted approaches support a more precise, multi-modal approach to injury and pain management, helping athletes stay available and perform at a high level.
Grizzlies Ja Morant
During a close game against the Boston Celtics on March 20th, Ja Morant drove into the lane for a tough shot. When he landed, he bumped into Jayson Tatum, which made his left arm twist awkwardly. Morant quickly grabbed his elbow in pain.
On March 24, 2026, the Grizzlies announced that Morant would miss the rest of the season. Imaging in mid-March showed a partial UCL sprain that needed a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection, ending his 2025–26 season.
According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, non-surgical treatment is typically recommended for minor UCL injuries, including most Grade I sprains and some Grade II tears. This approach focuses on allowing the ligament to heal through rest, often requiring athletes to avoid throwing or high-stress activities for 6 to 12 weeks, depending on severity and response to treatment. Ice is commonly used to reduce swelling and discomfort, while anti-inflammatory medications may be incorporated as needed to help manage pain and inflammation during recovery.
In addition to rest and regenerative therapies like PRP, targeted topical treatments may offer added support throughout the recovery timeline. In acute inflammatory phases, topical NSAID formulations, particularly ketoprofen, can be advantageous due to their strong anti-inflammatory effects and favorable tissue penetration, allowing higher local concentrations at the site of injury compared to some other NSAIDs.
This is especially relevant in UCL injuries, where controlling localized inflammation around the ligament and surrounding soft tissues is key to optimizing the healing environment.
While NSAIDs like diclofenac gel are more commonly used, ketoprofen has been shown to achieve deeper penetration in soft tissue, which may make it a strong option when targeting structures like the UCL. As recovery progresses, topical agents may also help manage residual pain, reduce compensatory muscle tension, and support a more comfortable return to controlled movement, particularly when combined with other modalities in a comprehensive rehab plan.
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid
After missing 13 games, Joel Embiid returned to play for the Sixers following his recovery from a right oblique injury on February 26 in a game against the Miami Heat.
In February, doctors initially thought he would miss only three games. However, his absence stretched much longer, and he ended up missing 35 to 40 games this seas
Embiid has dealt with injuries throughout his career, especially knee problems that go back to his early NBA days. He missed his first two seasons due to foot injuries, and after his 2016 debut, knee issues began to surface.
He had surgery in 2017 for a meniscus tear. Since then, managing his knees has been a regular part of his career, and he has missed time in several seasons because of knee problems.
“My knees haven’t been an issue for a long time. That’s past me,” Embiid told reporters after the March 25th game against the Chicago Bulls. “The oblique was very tricky, and it still is tricky. Really, nothing you can do about it, gotta let it ride and hope it doesn’t get worse.”
According to Midwest Orthopedics, treatment for an oblique strain focuses on reducing pain, restoring mobility, and gradually returning to sport-specific activity. Early care includes rest from twisting movements, ice, and light core activation. As symptoms improve, athletes progress to controlled stretching, stability work, and soft tissue therapy. The final phase emphasizes rebuilding strength and rotational power, followed by a gradual return to full activity.
“I’m just following whatever plan they have,” Embiid said of the medical staff. “They have a plan, so whatever they tell me, I guess I’m going to do it.”
Given Embiid’s history of knee injuries, including prior meniscus involvement, targeted topical therapies can be incorporated to support ongoing pain and inflammation management without increasing systemic burden. In flare-ups or post-activity soreness, topical NSAIDs such as ketoprofen can help reduce localized inflammation within the joint and surrounding soft tissue.
Compounded topicals formulated with a Lipoderm base may provide added value by enhancing the penetration of active ingredients into deeper periarticular structures, particularly important in larger joints like the knee, where tissue depth can limit the effectiveness of standard topicals.
Additionally, combination formulations (e.g., incorporating agents such as baclofen or gabapentin) may help address secondary muscle tightness or pain patterns around the knee. Integrated alongside load management and rehabilitation, this approach supports a precise, multi-modal strategy to maintain joint function and manage symptoms throughout the season.
Take-Aways
Across the league, injuries like these highlight just how critical sports medicine teams are in keeping athletes performing at the highest level.
From acute injuries to chronic conditions, recovery is not only about returning players to the court but also ensuring it is done safely, efficiently, and sustainably.
Through load management, targeted rehabilitation, and evolving treatment options, teams are redefining injury management in modern sports. As the demand to return to the game increases, so does the need for more effective, localized care that prioritizes performance and long-term health.
Increasingly, the incorporation of topical therapies, such as anti-inflammatory and analgesic compounds, has become a key component of comprehensive recovery plans. These topicals offer targeted, localized relief while minimizing systemic side effects, making them especially valuable for both acute injuries and chronic conditions.
SportPharm specializes in custom-compounded topical therapies designed for the unique needs of athletes and active individuals, providing an additional layer of support throughout the recovery process.
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To learn more about how topical therapies can support your recovery or to explore our custom solutions, reach out to us at info@sportpharm.com or visit our website today: https://sportpharm.com/rx/
Reviewed and approved by Brandon K. Welch PharmD, President of SportPharm.