Grant: Operating Grant

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease. We all either know someone with OA or suffer from it ourselves. A 2011 study by the Canadian Arthritis Alliance reported that approximately 4.6 million Canadians suffer from OA and that this number, and the cost to society associated with caring for OA, are expected to double over the next generation. Many things contribute to the development of OA, but one common risk factor is joint injury suffered in youth during sport or recreational activities. In fact, 50% of individuals who experience a significant knee injury go on to develop OA. Youth who experience joint injuries may reveal important clues about how joint injury leads to OA. This information could be used to slow down or prevent the disease. There are many potential reasons why some individuals go on to develop OA after a knee joint injury while others do not. For example, joint trauma has been associated with changes in how the trunk (abdominal and back), hip and knee muscles function. There are also some studies that suggest joint injury may lead to changes in blood chemistry, participation in physical activity, fitness level, beliefs about injury, and the use of the health care system. The goal of this research is to develop a better understanding of the interaction between the physical, structural, chemical and behavioral implications of joint injury and how these relate to developing OA. We will examine how young adults who sustained a knee injury 3-10 years ago in their youth differ in physical activity participation, fitness, body composition, blood chemistry, ability to perform movement tests, muscle structure as well as beliefs about injury, sport participation and health care use compared to those who did not experience a knee injury. This research project will generate new information that will help to reduce the individual, societal, and economic health burden of joint injury and OA disease.