Depressive symptoms and the general health of retired professional footballers compared with the general population in the UK: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and general health of male ex-professional footballers compared with general population controls. METHODS: 572 retired professional footballers and 500 general population controls in the UK were assessed by postal questionnaire. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and a threshold score of ≥11 was used to indicate probable caseness. General health was ascertained using the Short Form-12 Health Survey Questionnaire quality of life (QoL) tool; self-reported comorbidities, analgesic usage and body pain; and Index of Multiple Deprivation based on postcode data. Mood was assessed using the Positive and Negative Affect Scale and sleep using the Medical Outcome Survey. Linear regression analysis was used to determine adjusted relative risk with 95% CI and adjusted for age, body mass index, comorbidities, body pain and medication usage. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms in retired professional footballers was 5.66% compared with 5.76% in the general population and anxiety prevalence was also comparable (12.01% vs 10.29%; all p>0.05). However, footballers had lower physical and mental component scores compared with controls (p<0.01). They also reported significantly more sleep problems, more negative mood profiles and more widespread body pain (adjusted relative risk (aRR) 1.88, 95% CI 1.15 to 3.09). They also reported greater pain medication usage compared with controls (aRR 1.54, 95% CI 1.26 to 1.89). However, compared with controls, they were 26% (95% CI 15% to 37%) less likely to report comorbidities, especially heart attacks (aRR 57%, 95% CI 27% to 74%) and diabetes (aRR 61%, 95% CI 37% to 76%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms and probable caseness in ex-professional footballers is comparable with general population controls. However, ex-footballers reported lower health-related QoL, more widespread body pain and higher analgesic usage. Conversely, lower reporting of diabetes and heart attacks indicates potential long-term physical health benefits of professional football.

Prevalence of knee pain, radiographic osteoarthritis and arthroplasty in retired professional footballers compared with men in the general population: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of knee pain, radiographic knee osteoarthritis (RKOA), total knee replacement (TKR) and associated risk factors in male ex-professional footballers compared with men in the general population (comparison group). METHODS: 1207 male ex-footballers and 4085 men in the general population in the UK were assessed by postal questionnaire. Current knee pain was defined as pain in or around the knees on most days of the previous month. Presence and severity of RKOA were assessed on standardised radiographs using the Nottingham Line Drawing Atlas (NLDA) in a subsample of 470 ex-footballers and 491 men in the comparison group. The adjusted risk ratio (aRR) and adjusted risk difference (aRD) with 95% CI in ex-footballers compared with the general population were calculated using the marginal model in Stata. RESULTS: Ex-footballers were more likely than the comparison group to have current knee pain (aRR 1.91, 95% CI 1.77 to 2.06), RKOA (aRR 2.21, 95% CI 1.92 to 2.54) and TKR (aRR 3.61, 95% CI 2.90 to 4.50). Ex-footballers were also more likely to present with chondrocalcinosis (aRR 3.41, 95% CI 2.44 to 4.77). Prevalence of knee pain and RKOA were higher in ex-footballers at all ages. However, even after adjustment for significant knee injury and other risk factors, there was more than a doubling of risk of these outcomes in footballers. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of all knee osteoarthritis outcomes (knee pain, RKOA and TKR) were two to three times higher in male ex-footballers compared with men in the general population group. Knee injury is the main attributable risk factor. Even after adjustment for recognised risk factors, knee osteoarthritis appear to be an occupational hazard of professional football.

Foot type classification: a critical review of current methods.

Investigation into the effects of foot structure on foot function, and the risks of injury, has been at the core of many studies, sometimes with conflicting results. Often different methods of foot type classification have been used, making comparison of the results and drawing sound conclusions impossible. This article aims to critically review current methods of foot type classification. It is concluded that if a classification method combines data on structure with information on foot function in dynamic loading situations, it should relate more closely to the functional behaviour of the foot during locomotion.