Professional football can be considered a healthy sport?

This study aimed to compare the results of knee MRIs of former football players with no previous knee surgeries with non-regular practitioners of impact sports, matched by age and sex, and combine these results with other variables such as current quality of life and pain in the knees. The study participants were 16 male former professional football players and 21 male volunteers from different non-sports professional areas. All participants underwent bilateral magnetic resonances. Specific knee evaluations with regard to osteoarthritis and quality of life were performed in both groups by applying the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subjective questionnaires and SF-36, respectively. The between-group comparison revealed significant differences on: pain, symptoms, and quality of life related to the knee in KOOS subscalesphysical aspects and vitality subscale of SF-36and former soccer players had worst magnetic resonances scores than controls. Results of this study indicate probable specific adverse effects associated with participating in professional football. Cross-sectional study, Level III.Univ Fed Sao Paulo DOT UNIFESP EPM, Dept Ortopedia & Traumatol, Ctr Traumatol Esporte CETE, Rua Borges Lagoa 783,5 Andar, BR-04038032 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo DOT UNIFESP EPM, Dept Ortopedia & Traumatol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP EPM, Dept Diagnost Imagem, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilDepartamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Centro de Traumatologia do Esporte (CETE), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (DOT-UNIFESP/EPM), São Paulo, BrazilDepartamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (DOT-UNIFESP/EPM), São Paulo, BrazilDepartamento de Diagnóstico por Imagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP/EPM), São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc