High prevalence of knee osteoarthritis, pain, and functional limitations in female soccer players twelve years after anterior cruciate ligament injury

To determine the prevalence of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) as well as knee-related symptoms and functional limitations in female soccer players 12 years after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Female soccer players who sustained an ACL injury 12 years earlier were examined with standardized weight-bearing knee radiography and 2 self-administered patient questionnaires, the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score questionnaire and the Short Form 36-item health survey. Joint space narrowing and osteophytes were graded according to the radiographic atlas of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International. The cutoff value to define radiographic knee OA approximated a Kellgren/Lawrence grade of 2.