MRI-DEFINED EARLY HIP OA FEATURE WORSENING IN THE FEMOROACETABULAR IMPINGEMENT AND HIP OSTEOARTHRITIS COHORT: A 2-YEAR LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Purpose (the aim of the study): Participation in football is associated with the development of early hip osteoarthritis (OA). Young adults participating in football already have a high prevalence of early hip OA features, suggesting the OA disease process begins early in the lifespan of an athlete. The rate at which early OA features progress over time is unknown in high-impact athletes. It is also unknown if the presence of hip/groin pain expediates structural OA disease. This study had two aims: i) describe the change in MRI-defined early OA features over 2 years in football players; and ii) compare changes between football players with and without hip/groin pain.