Link between youth sport-related knee injury and health-associated outcomes

As per a report of published by the investigators of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta adults with a sport-related knee injury shows more adverse health-associated outcomes with constant osteoarthritis risk. As the active youth are exposed to more knee injuries, and consequent osteoarthritis, enhanced knowledge regarding the relationship between the history of joint injury and the health-related outcomes could notify osteoarthritis prevention approaches.

A total of 100 subjects with sport-related knee injury 3-10 years old and 100 age, sex and sport-matched uninjured controls were selected to evaluate the connection of clinical, physiological, behavioral and functional health-related outcomes with youth sport-associated knee injury. Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain Score, weekly physical activity, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), hip and knee muscle strength, fat mass index (FMI), measured aerobic capacity,  dynamic balance, and body mass index (BMI) were the study outcomes. Baseline features were also reported. The association between each outcome and injury history was evaluated using the multivariable regression models, examining the impact of sex and time-since-injury.

Fifty-five per cent of patients were the females, and the mean age of the patients was 22 years. Injured class exhibited higher BMI and FMI, weaker knee extensor and flexor muscles, poorer KOOS sub-scale scores and balance along with more total and intermittent pain as compared to the controls. In the earlier injured class, females were correlated with greater FMI, poorer knee flexor strength, and KOOS quality-of-life scores. Whereas, the longer time-since-injury was linked with poorer balance outcomes, KOOS symptoms scores, and knee extensor strength. These findings illustrate appropriate health-related information of sports injured adults which further can help to identify suitable treatment regimens.