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Knee osteoarthritis in athletes is sports-specific, dependent on previous injuries

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The risk of knee osteoarthritis for athletes is dependent on the sport they play and whether the athlete has had a previous knee injury, although some sports carry an increased risk all on their own, according to a study presented at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting.

From 16 different studies, researchers studied 3,192 athletes from various sports and concluded that while 8.4% of former athletes overall developed knee osteoarthritis, that percentage was lower than the 9.1% of people who did not play sports. Ultimately, the sport played contributed most to the athletes’ risk of osteoarthritis.

“The most reassuring aspect of the data is that most sports probably do not increase the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis, especially when competing at a recreational level,” Jeffrey B. Driban, PhD, ATC, CSCS, lead author and research associate at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, stated in a press release.

Sports that increased the risk of osteoarthritis in the knee were ones that had higher knee load bearing and carried a high risk of knee injury, Driban said. Among the at-risk sports listed were soccer, elite-level long-distance running, competitive weightlifting and wrestling. Choosing sports without these factors, such as swimming, tennis and cycling, increased athletes’ chances of not developing osteoarthritis, the authors concluded.

“For athletes who choose to participate in high-risk sports like soccer, particularly at elite levels for many years, they should know they have an increased likelihood of getting osteoarthritis and should pay attention to reducing other risk factors associated with the development of osteoarthritis,” he said.

Reference:

• Driban JB, Hootman JM, Sitler MR, et al. Association between sports participation and the risk of knee osteoarthritis. Paper #1977. Presented at the 2011 American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting. Nov 5-9. Chicago.
• Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.

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