Paper 130
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Study finds high-load exercises damage knee cartilage
ORLANDO, Fla.--A new study reported here today suggests intermittent high-load exercises could be responsible for changes in the knee's articular cartilage leading to osteoarthritis later in life.
Orthopaedic researchers announced at the 67th annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons the development of a new animal model for examining articular cartilage injury, particularly in young athletes, when participating in high-intensity exercise programs like weight training.
"Our research raises questions about the safety of performing high-intensity exercises among young athletes," said study author Kevin P. Black, MD, department of orthopaedics and rehabilitation, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pa. "Of particular importance was that the animals in our study were young which we expected to be most resistant to injury."
Ten, four-month old male rats were used in the study and conditioned to perform a leg press exercise. Dr. Black and his colleagues examined six-micrometer slices of knee specimens from the animals to determine the pathological changes indicative of articular cartilage damage.
Researchers found an average grade of damage of 4.42 versus 2.0 for the control group. A grade of 0 is considered to be normal cartilage while a grade of 8 indicates the most severe damage, Dr. Black reported.
Previous studies have focused on treadmill exercise or surgery-induced injury models, Dr. Black explained. "Our model actually simulates what many individuals do as part of their exercise program beyond routine jogging."
Young athletes frequently develop articular cartilage damage, a disease typically associated with aged individuals. The new model creates additional research opportunities to better understand the relationship between high-intensity exercise and knee damage, helping orthopaedic surgeons develop better preventative techniques.
Co-authors of the study, from the department of orthopaedic surgery, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pa., are Mustasim N. Rumi, MD; Qian Chen, PhD; Kathy Buhl, MS; Elizabeth Frauenhoffer, MD; and Henry Donahue, PhD. Charles A. DeMarco, MD, also participated in the study.
The 24,500-member American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (http://www.aaos.org) is a not-for-profit organization that provides education programs for orthopaedic surgeons, allied health professionals and the public, and is an advocate for improved patient care.
In the first year of the United Nations-declared Bone and Joint Decade (2000-2010) (http://www.boneandjointdecade.org), the Academy is holding its annual meeting at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, March 15-19.
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