title: Sports career-related musculoskeletal injuries: long-term health effects on former athletes.
abstract: Despite the high absolute number of sports injuries, most are not usually severe and consequent permanent disabilities are uncommon. Based on epidemiological data, former athletes have more degenerative changes in their joints and spine compared with control populations; however, at old age, their good muscle function related to high physical activity level seems to compensate for the effects of degenerative changes on function. There are former athletes who report disabilities due to different types of musculoskeletal injuries from sports careers. This article attempts to characterise this problem; however, more detailed studies are needed, particularly because the training regimens of the athletes seem to be increasingly demanding.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Helsinki, and ORTON Orthopaedic Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Urho
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kujala
authors.forename: Sakari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Orava
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parkkari
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaprio
authors.forename: Seppo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarna
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors