The Risk of Knee Osteoarthritis in Professional Soccer Players: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analyses
Alice Freiberg, Ulrich Bolm‐Audorff, Andreas Seidler
Abstract
BACKGROUND: We address the question whether professional soccer players with and without macroinjury of the knee joint are at an elevated risk for knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: A systematic review with meta-analyses was conducted. The study protocol was prospectively registered (registration number CRD42019137139). The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant publications; in addition, forward searching was performed, and the listed references were considered. All steps of the process were undertaken independently by two reviewers, and any discordances were resolved by consensus. For all publications whose full text was included, the methods used were critically evaluated. The quality of the evidence was judged using the GRADE criteria. RESULTS: = 71%). CONCLUSION: A marked association was found between soccer playing and knee osteoarthritis in male professional soccer players. For female professional soccer players, the risk of knee osteoarthritis could not be assessed because of the lack of data. Knee injuries seem to play an important role in the development of knee osteoarthritis in professional soccer players.