Playing sports such as baseball, tennis does not increase odds of OA visible on hand X-rays
Repetitively playing sports that require a bat or racket does not boost a person’s odds of suffering osteoarthritis visible on hand imaging, new research shows.
The conclusions are based on self-reported data from more than 2,300 participants with a history of playing sports such as baseball, tennis, and racquetball, shared in the Journal of Athletic Training. Thirty-four percent of men and 42% of women had OA spotted during X-ray exams.
But after adjusting for factors such as age, there were no significant associations between a history of playing sports and osteoarthritis in the dominant hand.
Constant joint use is certainly a risk factor for OA, but most research has focused on professional athletes who compete at different levels than amateurs. This study addresses a “critical need” to explore this issue in more casual players, the authors noted.
“Based on these results, clinicians can reassure patients that sports requiring a racket or bat can be effective strategies to engage in physical activity with minimal or no risk of thumb-base osteoarthritis among people willing and able to participate in the sport,” Jeffrey B. Driban, PhD, with Tufts Medical Center in Boston, and co-authors wrote Aug. 17.
The study included 2,309 participants who were part of a larger osteoarthritis investigation for knee issues. Each identified three activities from a list of 37 that they performed for 20 minutes a day or more. All patients underwent a baseline X-ray on their dominant hand. Further analysis keyed in on patients who played nine or more sessions in a competitive environment.
Overall, only 5% of men and 13% of women had symptoms consistent with osteoarthritis. And fewer than half in each group had signs of joint disease on their imaging exams.
“In conclusion, we found that a self-reported history of participation in a sport requiring a racket or bat is not associated with an increased chance of having dominant-hand, thumb-base osteoarthritis (radiographic or symptomatic) within a community-based cohort,” Driban and colleagues wrote.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.