Number of postmarathon lesions in different structures before and after the marathon/training, in 142 knees of 71 marathon runners and 22 knees of 11 non-marathon runners
Knee abnormalities per structure | Marathon runners (n=142 knees) | Non-marathon runners (n=22 knees) | ||||
Number of Post-M lesions | Significant change from Pre-M | Number of Post-M lesions | Significant change from Pre-M | |||
New/ Worsened* | Improved† | New/ Worsened | Improved | |||
Meniscal tears | 1 | 0 | n.s. | 0 | 0 | n.s. |
Cartilage lesions | 25 | 2 | Lateral patella p=0.0005* | 4 | 0 | n.s. |
Patello-femoral | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
Tibio-femoral | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
BME lesions | 26 | 23 | Medial tibia p=0.011† | 3 | 3 | n.s. |
Patello-femoral | 19 | 2 | 3 | 1 | ||
Tibio-femoral | 7 | 21 | 0 | 2 | ||
Tendon lesions | 13 | 2 | Semimembranosus p=0.016* | 2 | 0 | n.s. |
Ligament lesions | 2 | 2 | n.s. | 0 | 0 | n.s. |
ITBFS | 15 | 0 | ITB p<0.0001* | 1 | 1 | n.s. |
Prepatellar bursitis | 7 | 0 | Prepatellar bursitis p=0.016 | 1 | 0 | n.s. |
All abnormalities were recorded including Grade 1 abnormalities (all grades different from 0 were defined as ‘lesions’). P values<0.05 indicate significant changes in the knees between the premarathon and postmarathon time points.See online supplementary appendices 2 and 4 for further details.
*Indicate significant worsening.
†Indicate significant improvement in the extent of lesion.
BME, bone marrow oedema; ITBFS, iliotibial band friction syndrome; n.s., not significant; Post-M, post-marathon; Pre-M, pre-marathon.