There was a time when Achilles tendon ruptures were considered career-ending injuries in the NBA. Modern medicine has made reparative surgery and its recovery more tolerable, but – because the injury robs players of entire seasons, the rehab is intensely grueling and slow-motion replays often reveal the exact moment when the tendon snaps – it remains the most devastating injury in the NBA.

USA TODAY interviewed experts including Claire D. Eliasberg, MD, sports medicine surgeon at HSS, to pinpoint factors driving the surge, and – most crucially – what can be done to prevent them.

“Think about the lifetime accumulation on these tendons,” Dr. Eliasberg, “With this early, early sports specialization, which has changed in recent years, by the time these athletes are in their late 20s and 30s, it’s almost like they’ve played entire seasons before they even enter the pros.”

Read the full article at USAtoday.com.