The longitudinal change in knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS) in youth and young adults at risk of post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis compared to uninjured matched controls

Abstract

Purpose: Sustaining a knee injury increases the odds of post-traumatic osteoarthritis in the affected joint by 4- to 6-fold. Aside from the greater likelihood of a life with joint disease, individuals with an anterior cruciate ligament or other intra-articular knee injury are more likely to experience prolonged pain and knee symptoms, deficits in knee function and poorer knee- and health-related quality of life in the following years. However, the rate at which this decline occurs is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between intra-articular knee joint injury history in youth sport and the potential longitudinal decline in Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) outcomes compared to uninjured matched pairs in the years following injury.