The
athletes had a mean age of 42 years at the second
examination. Radiographic hip OA was found in 19% of
the runners, but in neither of the other groups. Age and
number of miles run per week in 1973 were the positive
predictors of radiographic OA. Spector et al. (1996) compared
67 female elite middle- and long-distance runners
and 14 female tennis players (aged 40–65) with a large
matched control group. Radiographic hip and knee OA
rates were significantly higher in the former athletes
compared with controls of a similar age, with a tendency
to more patellofemoral OA in the runners. No clear risk
factors were seen within the ex-athlete groups, although
the tennis players tended to have more osteophytes at the
tibiofemoral joints and hip, but the runners had more
patellofemoral joint disease. In contrast, in a retrospective
cohort study, the rates of radiographic hip OA in 60 exmarathon
runners were not higher than in controls,
although the timing of radiographs differed for the two
groups (Puranen et al. 1975). A study comparing 504
university level cross-country runners with similar-level
swimmers found no difference in levels of hip and knee
pain but x
-
ray examinations were not performed (Sohn
et al. 1985). A small prospective study of 17 male runners
(nine were marathon runners) compared with controls
found no difference in radiographic OA at the hip, knee,
ankle or feet (Panush et al. 1986).