MRI findings in the knees of youth female and male competitive alpine skiers
| MRI finding | Overall (n=108) | Women (n=42) | Men (n=66) | χ2 | P value |
| ≥1 MRI finding | 95 (88.0) | 35 (83.3) | 60 (90.9) | 0.167 | 0.682 |
| Meniscal degeneration | 11 (10.2) | 5 (11.9) | 6 (9.1) | 0.200 | 0.655 |
| Meniscal tear | 6 (5.6) | 5 (11.9) | 1 (1.5)* | 4.987 | 0.026 |
| Cartilage lesion | 20 (18.5) | 12 (28.6) | 8 (12.1)(t) | 3.751 | 0.053 |
| ACL and PCL abnormalities | 7 (6.5) | 4 (9.5) | 3 (4.5) | 0.981 | 0.322 |
| Abnormalities of the distal insertion of the patellar tendon | 12 (11.1) | 3 (7.1) | 9 (13.6) | 0.974 | 0.324 |
| Trochlear dysplasia | 7 (6.5) | 4 (9.5) | 3 (4.5) | 0.981 | 0.322 |
| Bone marrow oedema of the femoral condyles | 15 (13.9) | 3 (7.1) | 12 (18.2) | 2.252 | 0.133 |
| Distal femoral cortical irregularities | 68 (63.0) | 24 (57.1) | 44 (66.7) | 0.370 | 0.543 |
| FOPE zones | 27 (25.0) | 7 (16.7) | 20 (30.3) | 1.909 | 0.167 |
| Joint effusion | 11 (10.2) | 3 (7.1) | 8 (12.1) | 0.625 | 0.429 |
| Baker’s cyst | 15 (13.9) | 3 (7.1) | 12 (18.2) | 2.252 | 0.133 |
| Hoffa’s fat pad oedema | 8 (7.4) | 2 (4.8) | 6 (9.1) | 0.650 | 0.420 |
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 based on Pearson’s χ2 tests: (t)p<0.10; *p<0.05.
FOPE, focal periphyseal oedema.