Papers

Osteoarthritis of weight bearing joints of lower limbs in former elite male athletes

Helsinki Research Institute for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Toolo Sports Hall, Mannerheimintie 17, SF-00250 Helsinki, Finland Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, SF-00290 Helsinki, Finland Correspondence to: Dr Kujala.

Abstract

Objective : To compare the cumulative 21 year incidence of admission to hospital for osteoarthritis of the hip, knee, and ankle in former elite athletes and control subjects.
Design : National population based study.
Setting : Finland.
Subjects : 2049 male athletes who had represented Finland in international events during 1920-65 and 1403 controls who had been classified healthy at the age of 20.
Main outcome measures : Hospital admissions for osteoarthritis of the hip, knee, and ankle joints identified from the national hospital discharge registry between 1970 and 1990.
Results : Athletes doing endurance sports, mixed sports, and power sports all had higher incidences of admission to hospital for osteoarthritis than controls. Age adjusted odds ratios compared with controls were 1.73 (95% confidence interval 0.99 to 3.01, P = 0.063) in endurance, 1.90 (1.24 to 2.92, P = 0.003) in mixed sports athletes, and 2.17 (1.41 to 3.32, P = 0.0003) in power sports athletes. The mean age at first admission to hospital was higher in endurance athletes (70.6) than in other groups (58.2 in mixed sports, 61.9 in power sports, and 61.2 in controls). Among the 2046 respondents to a questionnaire in 1985, the odds ratios for admission to hospital were similar in all three groups after adjusting for age, occupation, and body mass index at 20 (2.37, 2.42, 2.68).
Conclusions : Athletes from all types of competitive sports are at slightly increased risk of requiring hospital care because of osteoarthritis of the hip, knee, or ankle. Mixed sports and power sports lead to increased admissions for premature osteoarthritis, but in endurance athletes the admissions are at an older age.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    StumbleUpon    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Osteoarthritis of weight bearing joints

J M Bland
BMJ 1994 308: 660. [Extract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Bosomworth, N. J. (2009). Exercise and knee osteoarthritis: benefit or hazard?. cfp 55: 871-878 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Jensen, L K (2008). Hip osteoarthritis: influence of work with heavy lifting, climbing stairs or ladders, or combining kneeling/squatting with heavy lifting. Occup. Environ. Med. 65: 6-19 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Pihlajamaki, H. K., Ruohola, J.-P., Weckstrom, M., Kiuru, M. J., Visuri, T. I. (2006). Long-term outcome of undisplaced fatigue fractures of the femoral neck in young male adults. J Bone Joint Surg Br 88-B: 1574-1579 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Shrier, I. (2004). Muscle dysfunction versus wear and tear as a cause of exercise related osteoarthritis: an epidemiological update. Br. J. Sports. Med. 38: 526-535 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• von Porat, A, Roos, E M, Roos, H (2004). High prevalence of osteoarthritis 14 years after an anterior cruciate ligament tear in male soccer players: a study of radiographic and patient relevant outcomes. Ann Rheum Dis 63: 269-273 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Kujala, U. M., Sarna, S., Kaprio, J. (2003). Use of Medications and Dietary Supplements in Later Years Among Male Former Top-Level Athletes. Arch Intern Med 163: 1064-1068 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Shepard, G J, Banks, A J, Ryan, W G (2003). Ex-professional association footballers have an increased prevalence of osteoarthritis of the hip compared with age matched controls despite not having sustained notable hip injuries. Br. J. Sports. Med. 37: 80-81 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Conaghan, P G (2002). Update on osteoarthritis part 1: current concepts and the relation to exercise. Br. J. Sports. Med. 36: 330-333 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Drawer, S, Fuller, C W (2001). Propensity for osteoarthritis and lower limb joint pain in retired professional soccer players. Br. J. Sports. Med. 35: 402-408 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Sutton, A J, Muir, K R, Mockett, S, Fentem, P (2001). A case-control study to investigate the relation between low and moderate levels of physical activity and osteoarthritis of the knee using data collected as part of the Allied Dunbar National Fitness Survey. Ann Rheum Dis 60: 756-764 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Manninen, P., Riihimaki, H., Heliovaara, M., Suomalainen, O. (2001). Physical exercise and risk of severe knee osteoarthritis requiring arthroplasty. Rheumatology (Oxford) 40: 432-437 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Kettunen, J. A., Kujala, U. M., Kaprio, J., Koskenvuo, M., Sarna, S. (2001). Lower-Limb Function Among Former Elite Male Athletes. Am J Sports Med 29: 2-8 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Felson, D. T., Lawrence, R. C., Dieppe, P. A., Hirsch, R., Helmick, C. G., Jordan, J. M., Kington, R. S., Lane, N. E., Nevitt, M. C., Zhang, Y., Sowers, M., McAlindon, T., Spector, T. D., Poole, A. R., Yanovski, S. Z., Ateshian, G., Sharma, L., Buckwalter, J. A., Brandt, K. D., Fries, J. F. (2000). Osteoarthritis: New Insights. Part 1: The Disease and Its Risk Factors. ANN INTERN MED 133: 635-646 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Kettunen, J. A, Kujala, U. M, Räty, H., Videman, T., Sarna, S., Impivaara, O., Koskinen, S. (2000). Factors associated with hip joint rotation in former elite athletes. Br. J. Sports. Med. 34: 44-48 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Vingard, E., Alfredsson, L., Malchau, H. (1998). Osteoarthrosis of the Hip in Women and Its Relationship to Physical Load from Sports Activities. Am J Sports Med 26: 78-82 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Buckwalter, J. A., Lane, N. E. (1997). Athletics and Osteoarthritis. Am J Sports Med 25: 873-881 [Abstract]  
• Vingård, E., Alfredsson, L., Malchau, H. (1997). Osteoarthrosis of the hip in women and its relation to physical load at work and in the home. Ann Rheum Dis 56: 293-298 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Kujala, U. M., Sarna, S., Kaprio, J., Koskenvuo, M. (1996). Hospital Care in Later Life Among Former World-Class Finnish Athletes. JAMA 276: 216-220 [Abstract]  
• Kujala, U. M, Taimela, S., Antti-Poika, I., Orava, S., Tuominen, R., Myllynen, P. (1995). Acute injuries in soccer, ice hockey, volleyball, basketball, judo, and karate: analysis of national registry data. BMJ 311: 1465-1468 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Bland, J M (1994). Osteoarthritis of weight bearing joints. BMJ 308: 660a-660 [Full text]