MR imaging of the knee in marathon runners before and after competition

A study was done to evaluate the findings in MRI-studies of the knee in recreational long-distance runners after competition and to assess the reversibility of the findings. The study consisted of eight long-distance runners and they underwent MRI studies before they ran and after. They participated in the Vienna City Marathon and MRI was taken place after 6-8 weeks. They were evaluated before in order to determine if there was a pre-existing condition. However, if a participant had any pre-existing condition they were still accepted to be a part of the research study. The participants were male and the age ranged from 27- 46 years old. They also had a long history of running at least 5 to 20 years. Before the competition started there were three runners that presented normal lateral menisci. There was eight grade I lesions; four grade II and three grade III lesions. “One participant who underwent resection of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus 15 years previously and presented with a graded IIIB lesion of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus in the other knee. After running there was no signal alteration that graded differently from the initial findings”. The MRI scans of those participants that were healthy before the race with no previous muscle injuries, after the marathon the MRI scans proved that no negative long-term-effects were experienced. In contrast, those that previously had high-grade lesions of the menisci, after the marathon might be at risk of greater injury of the knee, like osteoarthritis.
W. Krampla, R. Mayrhofer, J. Malcher, K.H.Kristen, M.Urban, W.Hruby. MR imaging of the knee in marathon Runners before and after compeition. March 2001, volume 30, issue, pp