MRI findings in the knees of youth competitive alpine skiers with (symptomatic) and without (asymptomatic) overuse-related knee complaints
| MRI finding | Overall (n=108) | Asymptomatic (n=57) | Symptomatic (n=51) | χ2 | P value |
| ≥1 MRI finding | 95 (88.0) | 47 (82.5) | 48 (94.1) | 0.416 | 0.519 |
| Meniscal degeneration | 11 (10.2) | 7 (12.3) | 4 (7.8) | 0.520 | 0.471 |
| Meniscal tear | 6 (5.6) | 4 (7.0) | 2 (3.9) | 0.464 | 0.496 |
| Cartilage lesion | 20 (18.5) | 10 (17.5) | 10 (19.6) | 0.062 | 0.803 |
| ACL and PCL abnormalities | 7 (6.5) | 5 (8.8) | 2 (3.9) | 0.978 | 0.323 |
| Abnormalities of the distal insertion of the patellar tendon | 12 (11.1) | 1 (1.8) | 11 (21.6)** | 9.510 | 0.002 |
| Trochlear dysplasia | 7 (6.5) | 5 (8.8) | 2 (3.9) | 0.978 | 0.323 |
| Bone marrow oedema of the femoral condyles | 15 (13.9) | 8 (14.0) | 7 (13.7) | 0.002 | 0.966 |
| Distal femoral cortical irregularities | 68 (63.0) | 31 (54.4) | 37 (72.5) | 1.410 | 0.235 |
| FOPE zones | 27 (25.0) | 13 (22.8) | 14 (27.5) | 0.232 | 0.630 |
| Joint effusion | 11 (10.2) | 5 (8.8) | 6 (11.8) | 0.237 | 0.626 |
| Baker’s cyst | 15 (13.9) | 9 (15.8) | 6 (11.8) | 0.314 | 0.575 |
| Hoffa’s fat pad oedema | 8 (7.4) | 2 (3.5) | 6 (11.8) | 2.476 | 0.116 |
Prevalence data are expressed as the number of skiers with specific MRI findings, as well as their percentage proportion (number of subjects affected/total number of subjects per group or subgroup * 100; (%)) in brackets. Level of significance for sex differences are based on Pearson’s χ2 tests: **p<0.01.
FOPE, focal periphyseal oedema.