For Release at 5:30 pm EST, Sunday Oct. 29, 2000
For More Information, ContactKelley Sheahan (404) 633-3777 until Oct. 26(215) 418-2370 Oct. 28 – Nov. 2[email protected]
Soccer Knee Injury Increases Risk of Arthritis
Sports injuries in youth can lead to arthritis at a relatively young age, according to research presented at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting Oct. 29 – Nov. 2 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Researcher studied 94 female soccer players who had sustained anterior cruciate ligament tears at the average age of 19. Twelve years later, 34 percent of the study subjects had x-ray findings consistent with osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Whether or not the women had surgical reconstruction after their injuries made no difference.
Osteoarthritis is the deterioration of cartilage that cushions bones in the joints and is usually associated with middle-aged and older people. The average prevalence for people age 25–34 is about 7 percent.
"It has been shown that female soccer players are at higher risk than men of sustaining anterior cruciate ligament injuries," said lead investigator Harald P. Roos, MD ([email protected]), of University of Lund in Sweden. "An anterior cruciate ligament tear in young female soccer players seems to be an important risk factor for developing early radiographic osteoarthritis."
The American College of Rheumatology is the professional organization for rheumatologists and health professionals who share a dedication to healing, preventing disability and curing arthritis and related rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. For more information on the ACR’s annual meeting, see www.rheumatology.org
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