title: No damage of joint cartilage of the lower limbs in an ultra-endurance athlete--an MRI-study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Osteoarthritis is an increasing burden in an ageing population. Sports, especially when leading to an overstress of joints, is under suspicion to provoke or at least accelerate the genesis of osteoarthritis. We present the radiologic findings of a 49-years old ultra-endurance athlete with 35 years of training and competing, whose joints of the lower limbs were examined using three different types of magnetic resonance imaging, including a microscopic magnetic resonance imaging coil. To date no case report exists where an ultra-endurance athlete was examined such detailed regarding overuse-injuries of his joints.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 49 years old, white, male ultra-endurance athlete reporting no pain during training and racing and with no significant injuries of the lower limbs in his medical history was investigated regarding signs of chronic damage or overuse injuries of the joints of his lower limbs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the age of nearly 50 years and a training history of over 35 years, the athlete showed no signs of chronic damage or overuse injuries in the joints of his lower limbs. This leads to the conclusion that extensive sports and training does not compulsory lead to damages of the musculoskeletal system. This is a very important finding for all endurance-athletes as well as for their physicians.
authors: Matthias Alexander
authors: MA
authors: Zingg
authors: Shila
authors: S
authors: Pazahr
authors: Fabian
authors: F
authors: Morsbach
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Gutzeit
authors: Walter
authors: W
authors: Wiesner
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Lutz
authors: Institute of General Practice and for Health Services Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. beat.knechtle@hispeed.ch.
authors: Beat
authors: B
authors: Knechtle
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Rosemann
authors: Peter Matthias
authors: PM
authors: Mundinger
authors: Christoph Alexander
authors: CA
authors: Rüst
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010807:Physical Endurance