New research finds that footballers are at an increased risk of osteoarthritis of the knee, particularly following injury during sport.
Osteoarthritis often results from wear and tear which 
can lead to mechanical problems, that can also be caused by direct injuries such as a wrenched or sprained knee. Frequent knee complaints result from ligament injuries which are often caused by a direct blow to the knee during football for example. Research presented last week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago suggested that participating in sports such as football can increase the chance of developing knee osteoarthritis.
The data found that overall, athletes have no greater risk of developing osteoarthritis than people who do not participate in sport, however, the risk of osteoarthritis was found to be higher in long distance runners, weight lifters, wrestlers and footballers. For people who would like to reduce their risk of osteoarthritis they are recommended to choose sports which are low-contact and low-impact. A new treatment for knee osteoarthritis is AposTherapy, specially made footwear which can reverse the deterioration of the knee.
