Time waits for no one - a preliminary analysis of an inception matched-pair cohort study of youth sport knee injury

Abstract

Purpose: Knee injuries are associated with a 6-fold increased risk of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) and 7-fold increased odds of arthroplasty. Although less prevalent than idiopathic osteoarthritis (OA), PTOA is accompanied by a greater number of years lived with disability due in part to a younger age of onset. Best evidence suggests that PTOA may be amenable to prevention and early treatment. We have previously demonstrated that youth who experience a wide range of sport-related knee injuries demonstrate greater knee-related symptoms, physical dysfunction, muscle weakness, and adiposity within 3-10 years compared to matched uninjured youth and this may compound their risk for PTOA.