Factors associated with pain and osteoarthritis at the hip and knee in Great Britain's Olympians: a cross sectional study

Cooper, Dale J.; Scammell, Brigitte E.; Batt, Mark E.; Palmer, Debbie

Abstract

Background: Knowledge of the epidemiology and potentially modifiable factors associated with musculoskeletal disease is an important first step in injury prevention among elite athletes.

Aim: This study investigated the prevalence and factors associated with pain and osteoarthritis (OA) at the hip and knee in Great Britain’s (GB) Olympians aged 40 and older.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. A survey was distributed to 2742 GB Olympians living in 30 countries. Of the 714 (26.0%) who responded, 605 were eligible for analysis (ie, aged 40 and older).

Results: The prevalence of hip and knee pain was 22.4% and 26.1%, and of hip and knee OA was 11.1% and 14.2%, respectively. Using a multivariable model, injury was associated with OA at the hip (adjusted OR (aOR) 10.85; 95% CI 3.80 to 30.96) and knee (aOR 4.92; 95% CI 2.58 to 9.38), and pain at the hip (aOR 5.55; 95% CI 1.83 to 16.86) and knee (aOR 2.65; 95% CI 1.57 to 4.46). Widespread pain was associated with pain at the hip (aOR 7.63; 95% CI 1.84 to 31.72) and knee (aOR 4.77; 95% CI 1.58 to 14.41). Older age, obesity, knee malalignment, comorbidities, hypermobility and weight-bearing exercise were associated with hip and knee OA and/or  pain.

Conclusions: This study detected an association between several factors and hip and knee pain/OA in retired GB Olympic athletes. These associations require further substantiation in retired athletes from other National Olympic Committees, and through comparison with the general population. Longitudinal follow-up is needed to investigate the factors associated with the onset and progression of OA/pain, and to determine if modulation of such factors can reduce the prevalence of pain and OA in this population.

Citation

Cooper, D. J., Scammell, B. E., Batt, M. E., & Palmer, D. (2018). Factors associated with pain and osteoarthritis at the hip and knee in Great Britain's Olympians: a cross sectional study. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(17), 1101-1108. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098315

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 24, 2018
• Online Publication Date: May 14, 2018
• Publication Date: Sep 30, 2018
• Deposit Date: May 14, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: May 14, 2018
• Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine
• Print ISSN: 0306-3674
• Electronic ISSN: 1473-0480
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 52
• Issue: 17
• Pages: 1101-1108
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098315
• Keywords: Hip; Knee; Osteoarthritis; Health; Post-olympic
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/932137
• Publisher URL: http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2018/05/14/bjsports-2017-098315
• Additional Information: Copyright © 2018 by the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
• Contract Date: May 14, 2018