If you participate in athletic endeavors like running, basketball, or others you may wonder whether your particular form of physical activity might lead to development of osteoarthritis.  You may also wonder whether an activity from the past may have set you up for developing arthritis later in life.  Recently, the Centers for Disease Control commissioned a review of research on physical activities that may contribute to osteoarthritis. 

In the introduction to this review it states, “In the absence of major joint injury, no evidence exists to indicate that regular moderate to vigorous physical activity in amounts that are commonly recommended for general health benefits increases the risk of developing OA.”

They do go on to specifically address “high-impact” activities.  They state, “Long-term high-level participation in select high-impact sports (e.g., football, soccer, track and field) may be associated with increased risk of OA.”

One study illustrates this effect.  A 2004 study in Arthritis & Rheumatism found that most female soccer players with an old knee injury had developed osteoarthritis of the same knee within 12 years. "Virtually 100% of those young women develop osteoarthritis by their 30s," Klippel says.

Lohmander, LS, Ostenberg, Englund, M, Roos, H. High prevalence of knee osteoarthritis, pain, and functional limitations in female soccer players twelve years after anterior cruciate ligament injury. Arthritis Rheumatism 2004;50(10):3145-3152.

(http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-06-18-osteoarthritis_x.htm)

If you have participated in or participate in certain high-impact activities over long periods of time, you may have a moderately increased risk of osteoarthritis.  Some of these activities are summarized in the table below.

The following is from (and must be modified): http://osteoarthritis.about.com/od/osteoarthritisdisability/f/football.htm

The Study: Knee Osteoarthritis in Top Football Players

The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in a group of 50 former top-level football players was studied. The impact of knee osteoarthritis on joint function and joint structure was also assessed in the group of football players compared to a control group.

• Study participants in the football player group were male, over 45 years old, with no previous history of knee trauma, arthritis, arthropathy or surgery. 
• Study participants in the control group were non-sporting males who were otherwise well-matched (in terms of age, weight, height, and dominant foot) to the football group.

The two groups were compared for frequency of knee osteoarthritis, severity of pain and disability, and severity of structural impairment. Initially, it was noted that 40 of the 50 former football players were overweight. Half of the football group had played in more than 200 games. Results of the study showed that knee osteoarthritis, determined by x-ray and clinical examination, was more common in the football players (80%) than nonsporting group (68%). The difference was not considered statistically significant though. Here's what was most interesting:

• Pain was noted in only 6 of the football players, but was observed in 50% of the nonsporting control group. 
• Disability was noted in 6 football players and 23 nonsporting participants. Not only was disability more frequent, disability was more intense in the nonsporting group. 
• Over 57% of football players showed high levels of damage on x-ray compared to 29% of the nonsporting control group.

Interestingly, researchers concluded that knee osteoarthritis is common in male football players, yet the condition is generally less painful and less disabling than for nonsportsmen -- in spite of being more destructive.

Supplements and Joint Pain in Athletes

Dietary supplements are widely used by athletes with joint discomfort.  A recent study was completed by doctors at the Department of Nutrition and Sports Nutrition for Athletics at Penn State University.  These doctors examined the effects of a liquid supplement that contained 10 grams of a hydrolyzed collagen taken over a period of 24 weeks.

Those in the supplement group experienced improvements in all of the following symptoms:

1) joint pain at rest (assessed by the doctor)
2) joint pain when walking
3) joint pain when standing
4) joint pain at rest
5) joint pain when carrying objects
6) joint pain when lifting

The authors of this study wrote that “The results of this study have implications for the use of collagen hydrolysate to support joint health and possibly reduce the risk of joint deterioration in a high-risk group. Despite the study's size and limitations, the results suggest that athletes consuming collagen hydrolysate can reduce parameters (such as pain) that have a negative impact on athletic performance.”

[Clark, KL, Sebastianelli, W, Flechsenhar, KR, et al. 24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008;24(5):1485-96.]