[Is running associated with premature degenerative arthritis of the hip? A systematic review].
OBJECTIVE
The study was performed to investigated correlations between running and degenerative arthritis of the hip, according to the principles of evidence-based medicine.


METHODS
The database Medline, the Cochrane Library, the centre for Evidence Based Medicine in Oxford and the sports science database Spolit, Spofor and Spowis were scanned systematically for the keywords "arthritis, osteoarthritis, degenerative, hip, sports, running, jogging, walking".


RESULTS
10 retrospective case control studies and 3 prospective studies were included for further analysis. The clinical examinations reported in the prospective studies did not reveal a significant difference between runners and non-runners. In one study a slightly increased risk for signs of arthritis at the X-ray was found in runners below 50 years with a very high mileage. No increased risk for degenerative arthritis was reported in most of the retrospective studies. A few authors of retrospective studies reported a slightly to moderately increased risk. The pooled estimate of the included studies showed a slightly increased risk for degenerative arthritis in runners (pooled OR 1.24 95 % CI 0.87-1.85). However, the increased risk did not reach a level of statistical significance. The graphic analysis of the data with the technique of the funnel plot gives an OR of 1.04.


CONCLUSIONS
There is no evidence that running is associated with an increased risk for degenerative arthritis of the hip. There is no evidence for a different risk in men and women.
Walther
M
M
Lehrstuhl für Orthopädie der Universität Würzburg. m-walther.khl@mail.uni-wuerzburg.de
Kirschner
S
S
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012420:Running / Q000293:injuries* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013223:Statistics as Topic