Abstract
BackgroundThe knee is the weight-bearing joint most commonly associated with sports injuries, and therefore is most at risk of developing degenerative changes, including osteoarthritis. Skyrunners can be considered to be at risk of developing symptoms of post-traumatic osteoarthritis due to downhill running.AimThe aim of this study was to analyze the health of the knee joints of a large group of these athletes via a specific self-report questionnaire.MethodsThis study was carried out by asking the participants of seven official Skyraces (22.4±3.1 km length; 1596±393 m elevation) to fill out a questionnaire. Information regarding age, sex, downhill elevation (m) during training and competitions over the last month, and history of previous knee injury was also collected before the participants filled out the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), which is a reliable and validated instrument designed to assess patients’ opinions about their knees and associated problems that can result in post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Athletes were divided into six age groups (from 17 to 70 years) and 12 groups based on the downhill gradient they had covered over the last month (from 1,000 to 40,000 m).ResultsSix hundred twenty-one questionnaires were collected from 45% of the participants in the seven races. Multivariate analysis revealed that self-reported KOOS scores were unrelated to age, sex and monthly downhill gradient. Only 74 (12%) of the participants reported previous knee injuries. Significant differences in the five subscales of the KOOS were found between skyrunners with and without previous knee injuries (P<0.01).ConclusionsIn the studied population, regular training for downhill running and participation in Skyraces could not be considered risk factors for subjective knee symptoms. Skyrunners with self-reported histories of knee injuries scored worse on all five subscales of the KOOS.
Highlights
Skyrunning is a sporting activity performed in the mountains at altitudes of 2,000 m or more above sea level on uphill and downhill tracks with gradients of 30–40% [1]
Information regarding age, sex, downhill elevation (m) during training and competitions over the last month, and history of previous knee injury was collected before the participants filled out the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), which is a reliable and validated instrument designed to assess patients’ opinions about their knees and associated problems that can result in post-traumatic osteoarthritis
Multivariate analysis revealed that self-reported KOOS scores were unrelated
Summary
Skyrunning is a sporting activity performed in the mountains at altitudes of 2,000 m or more above sea level on uphill and downhill tracks with gradients of 30–40% [1]. The most popular skyrunning competitions are called Skyraces, which are defined as competitions at altitude that cover distances of 20 to 30 km (International Skyrunning Federation, Rule 2.4.3) (Table 1). In these competitions, the vertical uphill speeds attained by the athletes are always lower than the downhill speeds, and these speeds are the result of the individual characteristics of the athletes who must be supported by adequate training that is performed both on uphill and downhill tracks. Skyrunners can be considered to be at risk of developing symptoms of post-traumatic osteoarthritis due to downhill running
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