Association of arthritis and total joint arthroplasty with self-reported function in former professional American-style football players.
Michelle M Bruneau, Rachel Grashow, Michael Leung and 6 others
PMID 41454666WHAT IT FOUND
Former professional football players with arthritis or hip/knee replacements reported worse physical function and more pain interference than those without.
Mental function scores did not differ between groups. Older age, higher BMI, and playing lineman were associated with these joint conditions.
Key findings
01Players with arthritis or knee/hip replacements had lower physical function scores and higher pain interference than those without these conditions.
02There was no significant association between arthritis or knee/hip replacements and mental function scores.
03Higher BMI, older age, playing as a lineman, and prior surgeries were associated with increased odds of arthritis and joint replacements.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot prove that football exposure caused arthritis or that arthritis caused the functional deficits. Arthritis and joint replacements were self-reported without verification of medical records, type, severity, or location. Only knee and hip replacements were assessed; other joint replacements were not included. The sample represents 33.9% of eligible players who enrolled, so it may not reflect all former players. Information on health insurance access was not collected, limiting insight into barriers to care.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the National Football League Players Association. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that former professional football players with arthritis or joint replacements are experiencing significant mental health impairments. This study found no association between these joint conditions and mental function scores, unlike some prior work on chronic pain in this population.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →