Articular cartilage degeneration of lower limbs in basketball

Košarka je visoko intenzivna in dinamična igra, v kateri so športniki izpostavljeni najrazličnejšim obremenitvam. Zanimalo nas je, kakšen vpliv ima igranje košarke na zdravje sklepov predvsem sklepnega hrustanca in nastanek osteoartritisa spodnjih okončin. Literatura se večinoma ukvarja s problematiko akutnih in kroničnih športnih poškodb mišično-tetivnega sistema. Ob pregledu literature smo ugotovili, da je vpliv športnih obremenitev, poškodb in drugih dejavnikov na zdravje sklepa in hrustančnih površin zelo redko obravnavan. Zato smo se nadalje posvetili pregledu obstoječih raziskav, pri tem pa poskušali zbrati čim večje število relevantnih podatkov in informacij o obravnavani tematiki. Ugotovili smo, da so poškodbe hrustančnih površin in nastanek osteoartritisa pri košarkarjih pogosti, zlasti v kolenskem in kolčnem sklepu. Na nastanek osteoartritisa vpliva veliko dejavnikov, katere pa je včasih zaradi kompleksnosti raziskovanja, težko neposredno opredeliti. Med najmočnejše dejavnike tveganja lahko uvrstimo pretekle poškodbe, operativni posegi, anatomske nepravilnosti sklepa in posredno, zaradi tipičnih obremenitev, športno panogo. Ker so ugotovljeni dejavniki tveganja v košarki pogosto prisotni, je pogosta tudi obraba sklepnega hrustanca in poškodbe hrustančnih površin. Najpogosteje imajo košarkarji ali nekdanji košarkarji napredne stopnje osteoartritisa v kolenskem in kolčnem sklepu, ki povzročijo bolečine v gibanju, zmanjšajo gibljivost in hkrati močno vplivajo na zmanjšano kakovost življena. Skoraj četrtina nekdanjih košarkarjev pa potrebuje tudi kirurško zdravljenje zaradi posledic obrabe hrustanca. Ugotovili smo, da poškodbe hrustanca v košarki niso redke in si v prihodnosti zaslužijo veliko več pozornosti tako v raziskovanju kot praktičnih ukrepih, saj močno znižajo kakovost življenja in otežijo že vsakodnevna opravila. Ker pa na nastanek oz. napredovanje degenerativnih sprememb lahko vplivamo s preprečevanjem dejavnikov tveganja, smo opredelili, katere ukrepe je smiselno uvesti, predvsem na področju vadbe, s katero lahko vplivamo na več dejavnikov hkrati.Basketball is a dynamic game of high intensity which exposes athletes’ bodies to numerous loads. Through the thesis we examine how playing of basketball affects the joint health, particularly the health of articular cartilage, and the development of osteoarthritis of lower extremities. The literature mainly explores acute and chronic sport injuries of muscle-tendon system. Thus, after a comprehensive literature research we have come to the conclusion that the effects of physical demands of basketball, injuries, and other relevant factors on joint health and health of articular surfaces have rarely been examined. We have, therefore, turned our attention to the analysis of existent researches where we have tried to gather as many relevant data and information about the subject matter as possible. Accordingly, we have established that the injuries of articular surfaces and the development of osteoarthritis of lower extremities are frequent among the basketball players, particularly in knee and hip joints. Further, the development of osteoarthritis is influenced by various determinants which are sometimes hard to identify due to the complexity of the carried-out research itself. Among the identified determinants which influence the development of osteoarthritis the most are past injuries, past operative procedures, malalignments, and, indirectly due to the typical loads it causes on an athlete’s body, a type of sport. Named risk factors are highly present in basketball, therefore, the articular cartilage degeneration and injuries of articular surfaces are quite common among the basketball players. Most often, basketball players, active or former, suffer with advanced-stage osteoarthritis in knee and hip joint, which may cause them to experience pain during movement and may reduce their mobility, both of which may at the same time lead to reduced quality of life. Furthermore, almost one quarter of former basketball players is in need of a surgical treatment of articular cartilage degeneration. Thus, we can conclude that articular cartilage degenerations are quite common in basketball and, therefore, as they lead to reduced quality of life and encumber everyday activities, deserve much more attention during research as well as when it comes to the practical measures. Having become aware of the fact that reducing and managing of the risk factors may positively affect the development and progression of degenerations, we defined the measures aimed at managing multiple risk factors at once, which primarily consist of exercises