Clinical and Biochemical Predictors of Outcome After Knee Injury in Young Patients

Posttraumatic osteoarthritis is an acknowledged outcome of contact]related sports injuries but is an underestimated and understudied problem occurring after non]contact rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It is estimated that approximately 40]50% of young athletes are at significant risk for developing progressive osteoarthritis (OA) 10]20 years after ACL injury suffered during high school sports participation. Unfortunately, reliable predictors of which athletes are at highest risk for developing OA after ACL injury do not exist.