Few sports combine speed, agility and teamwork quite like basketball. Its blend of strategy, synergy and quick gameplay has made it one of the world’s most popular sports, which boasts roughly 2.2 billion fans and more than 600 million active players worldwide.

But whether it’s a pickup game at the park, a rec-league matchup or simply shooting hoops in the driveway, basketball offers far more than recreation and entertainment.

“It delivers an impressive range of physical and mental health benefits, is widely accessible and promotes healthy physical activity for individuals of all ages and abilities,” says Dr. Chantal Nguyen, chief resident at Stanford Medicine’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic.

Here’s how the game works, what specific health benefits are provided and how to reduce your risk of injury while playing.

How is basketball played?

Basketball is typically played “between two teams of five players, each on a rectangular court with a hoop on both ends,” says Kawika Akina, head girls’ basketball coach at Cedar Valley High School in Utah. The objective is simple: Score points by shooting the ball through the opponent’s basket while preventing the other team from doing the same in yours. Two points are awarded for baskets made inside the three-point line, three for shots made beyond it and one for each successful free throw. Each game is divided into quarters or halves, depending on the level of play.

Beneath the sport’s simplicity “lies a fast-paced, highly strategic game built on quick decisions, fluid teamwork and constant motion,” says Akina.

Throughout each game and practice, players shift seamlessly between offense and defense – shooting, dribbling, passing, rebounding and contesting shots, “all in a dynamic rhythm that combines cutting, lateral agility, defensive positioning and complex ball-handling,” Akina explains. “And it’s as mentally engaging as it is physically demanding.”

Is basketball good for your physical health? Does basketball really burn fat?

Indeed, the sport seems to be as good for the body as it is fun to play. “Basketball is a moderate- to vigorous-intensity contact sport with high levels of aerobic activity,” says Nguyen. As a result, “it has many proven heart-health benefits brought about by improving cardiorespiratory fitness and lowering your risk of adverse cardiovascular events such as strokes or heart disease.” It provides such advantages, in part, by improving cholesterol, triglyceride and blood-sugar profiles.

Beyond heart health, basketball is also an excellent fat burner. “It’s an especially intense sport that burns a lot of calories and fat and can assist in maintaining a healthy weight,” says Dr. Matthew Anastasi, a sports-medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic.

It’s also a powerful muscle-toner. Because the game constantly alternates between jogging, sprinting, moving laterally, chasing rebounds, dribbling across the court, jumping to block shots and driving to the basket, “you’re constantly changing speeds and engaging many different muscle groups as you do,” Anastasi explains. These include the core, lower back, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors and calves.

Meanwhile, shooting and passing “activate the elbow flexors and pronators, shoulder flexors, biceps and triceps,” Nguyen adds. In short, “basketball is a complete body workout,” Anastasi says.

All that motion benefits bone strength, too. “Jumping, pivoting and planting dynamically load bones, improving the strength of the bone matrix,” Nguyen notes. This can help prevent conditions like osteoporosis and osteopenia later in life.

Is basketball good for your brain?

Basketball also keeps your brain sharp. That’s because every possession demands rapid analysis such as reading the court, predicting opponents’ moves and making split-second decisions, all while maintaining control of the ball.

“And the team-based nature of the sport comprehensively enhances social and psychological health,” adds Nguyen, noting that associated frequent endorphin release “also improves mood and connectivity.”

Akina adds that practice and gameplay also teach leadership, communication and resilience. Over his 23-year coaching career, he’s seen countless shy players “open up and become more confident,” while others “develop critical skills and attributes that carry over into school, careers and family life.”

Of course, like any dynamic sport, basketball carries some risk of injury. “The most commonly injured joints are the ankles and knees,” Nguyen says. Sprains, ACL tears and finger injuries also occur. Injuries are mainly due to frequent jumping, cutting and landing.

Proper preparation can go a long way in preventing problems. “Neuromuscular training focused on strength, stability, proprioception and agility in the lower limbs can dramatically reduce ankle and knee injuries,” Nguyen advises. Supportive footwear or braces can also be helpful, when needed.

Even the simplest of habits can make a difference. “A good warm-up and cool-down period of five to 10 minutes of light movement and stretching before and after a game,“ says Anastasi, “can significantly reduce the risk of many injuries.”