title: Impact of sports on health of former professional soccer players in Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the social, economic and health aspects related to former professional soccer players in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study with the participation of 100 male Brazilian former professional soccer players. For characterization of the sample variables such as age, current and past weight, height, BMI (Body Mass Index) and player position were evaluated. In all analyzes it was considered P <0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the group of former players evaluated, 78% were overweight and 4% were considered obese. During their careers, 54% of now ex-soccer players underwent drugs infiltration in the knee. Currently, former athletes presented on average 5.4 points on the VAS pain scale, with 97% of ex-players complaining of knee pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study show that these individuals had large weight gain after retirement, high frequency of drug injections in the knee during their careers and chronic pain in this joint after retirement. Level of Evidence III, Cross-Sectional Study.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Gonçalves
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Arliani
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Schmith
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Lara
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diego Costa
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Astur
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Moises
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Paulo Pontes
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferretti
keywords: Knee; Osteoarthritis; Retirement; Soccer