Joint Injury Increases the Risk of Future Osteoarthritis

By keeping a close eye on the rearview mirror of time, researchers have traced what happens after an injury to a hip or knee joint. When a joint is injured in a person’s early years, the chances of having future osteoarthritis (OA) in that joint increase.

Researchers tracked 1337 medical students graduating from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore between 1948 and 1964. When the study first began, 64 participants reported having injured a hip or knee joint. The average age at injury was 16. Significantly, 13.9% ended up with OA, compared to only 6% of the participants who didn’t have injuries before the study. Also, people who injured their hip or knee joint over the course of the study were much more likely to end up with OA in the injured joint.

Clearly, people who have had an injury to the hip or knee joint, especially in their earlier years, are at higher risk for developing OA. Accordingly, the authors believe these people should be targeted for programs to prevent OA, and younger patients who have had a joint injury should be shown ways to limit extra strain on that joint. They conclude by encouraging doctors to “advocate use of proper sports equipment under safe conditions to prevent joint injuries” to avoid future problems.