How Some Sports Injuries Can Cause Arthritis at an Early Age

From cedars-sinai.org

Your high school soccer career ended with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and knee surgery. Now, 20 years later, you’re experiencing increasing pain in that same knee and the doctor diagnoses the problem as post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA).

“How can I have arthritis?” you groan. “I’m only 35 years old!”

This kind of case is not unusual. Nearly 4 million Americans are estimated to have post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Many suffered ACL tears or other joint injuries early in life, and despite reconstructive surgery, later developed PTOA.

PTOA is a form of osteoarthritis (OA). OA affects about 33 million American adults and is the most common form of arthritis.

“OA is a huge source of disability and a huge part of our national expenditure for health-related issues,” said orthopaedic surgeon Andrew Spitzer, MD.

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"[Osteoarthritis] is a huge source of disability and a huge part of our national expenditure for health-related issues."

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The cause is a degeneration of the articular cartilage that sits between bones to help them move smoothly against one another.

“Healthy cartilage has a coefficient of friction lower than anything else known to man,” said Spitzer. “It's very smooth and pristine, white and shiny.”

It can become damaged over time, making age a significant risk factor. Almost half of all OA sufferers are over the age of 65.

But an early injury to a joint—such as an ACL tear, meniscal tear or fracture—can lead to the much earlier onset of OA known as PTOA. About 12% of all osteoarthritis is estimated to be post-traumatic. In fact, more than 50% of patients who suffer an early ACL tear are found to have PTOA 20 years after reconstruction.

“Anything that disrupts the pristine interior of the joint—whether it’s a meniscal injury or a ligamentous injury or something more serious, like a broken bone—can change the way the bones glide upon one another,” explained Spitzer. “And that can change the wear patterns on the cartilage and accelerate the degeneration of the cartilage, leading ultimately to arthritis.” 

https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/arthritis-at-early-age.html