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Long-term effects of sport: preventing and managing OA in the athlete

Nature Reviews Rheumatology volume 8, pages 747–752 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

Sports participation is associated with an increased risk of future osteoarthritis (OA), much of which results from joint injury. No strong evidence exists that moderate sporting activity in the presence of normal joints predisposes to OA. Whether high-level participation in sport, particularly impact-type sports, is truly associated with OA is unclear owing to difficulties in differentiating the confounding effect of joint injury. Attention to strategies that prevent joint injury in athletes is paramount. Evidence does support the use of targeted neuromuscular exercise programmes, ankle taping and/or bracing and equipment or rule changes to prevent joint injuries in athletes. Optimal injury management, including rehabilitation and surgery if appropriate, is needed to facilitate healing and address biomechanical and neuromuscular impairments to reduce the risk of re-injury and minimize the onset and extent of joint symptoms. Management of OA in athletes requires attention to load-reducing strategies, activity modification, muscle strengthening and weight control.

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Figure 1: Schematic of the relationship between sport and OA.
Figure 2: Relationship between knee joint injury and radiographic OA.
Figure 3: Neuromuscular exercise programmes to prevent ankle and knee ligament injuries.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiotherapy, Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, University of Melbourne, 200 Berkeley Street, Carlton, 3053, VIC, Australia

    Kim Bennell

  2. Rheumatology Department, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Pacific Highway, St Leonards, 2065, NSW, Australia

    David J. Hunter

  3. Division of Physiotherapy, CCRE Spine, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane St Lucia, 4072, QLD, Australia

    Bill Vicenzino

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All authors made equal contributions to all aspects of this manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kim Bennell.

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Competing interests

K. Bennell has received grant or research support from Asics and will receive royalties from a shoe design if it is released commercially. D. J. Hunter is a patent holder/applicant for DonJoy and receives royalties for a brace design. B. Vicenzino declares no competing interests.

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Bennell, K., Hunter, D. & Vicenzino, B. Long-term effects of sport: preventing and managing OA in the athlete. Nat Rev Rheumatol 8, 747–752 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2012.119

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