CITY researchers are trying to find out why so many professional footballers develop osteoarthritis.
The University of Nottingham has been awarded a grant from medical research charity Arthritis UK for a five-year study.
The study is the first of its kind and aims to find out how common the condition is among ex-players compared to the general population.
The findings could have implications beyond the world of professional football and lead to greater awareness of how to avoid and prevent injuries for people who play sport at whatever level.
The study is being part funded by Fifa, Spire Healthcare and footballers’ charity Xpro, and supported by the FA and the PFA.
Based at the university, the research is led by a team within the division of rheumatology, orthopaedics and dermatology, including study manager Dr Gwen Fernandes.
She said: “Professional footballers appear especially prone to arthritis due to the intensity of the sport they play and the injuries sustained during their playing careers.
“They seem more likely to develop early onset osteoarthritis of their knee joints, for example.
“The results of our study will establish the prevalence of osteoarthritis among professional footballers compared to the normal male population and hopefully identify the specific risk factors for knee osteoarthritis in footballers.”
The study has the backing of Sir Trevor Brooking, who said: “A few years ago I had a knee replacement for my left knee and have benefited enormously from that successful operation in my daily work commitments.
“There’s very little research on this important topic, and the study will be of immense benefit.”
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