Early Disease and Risk Prediction: Prevent (WP1)

Work Package Leads:

• Nigel Arden (Oxford)
• Paul Greenhaff (Nottingham)

Working Group: 

• Tony Redmond and Phil Conaghan (Leeds)
• Brigitte Scammell/Mike Doherty/Kim Edwards, Weiya Zhang and Ben Ollivere (Nottingham)
• Stefan Kluzek (Nottingham & NUHT)
• Mark Batt (NUHT)
• Fiona Watt and Julia Newton (Oxford)
• Cathy Bowen (Southampton)

Research Question:

Can we identify risk factors and phenotypes that predict the onset and progression of symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) in athletes and exercisers?

Summary:

We will continue on-going work to define the association between habitual physical activity and lower limb OA and define an optimal type and level of exercise for lifelong MSK health. With a greater emphasis on female and recreational participants we will identify the risk and benefits of sport and physical activity on joint health. We will investigate ‘at risk phenotypes’ for knee post traumatic OA (PTOA), with a developing focus upon the foot and ankle. Using unique Centre strengths we will assess the role of muscle and body composition on injury prediction, recovery and the risk of OA.  In order to support public health efforts to maintain MSK health and keep more people more active more of the time, we will:

Aims:

1. Define the association between habitual physical activity/inactivity and lower limb osteoarthritis and define an optimal level of exercise for MSK health.

2. Identify the joint health risk and benefits of sport and physical activity

3. Assess the risk and define the risk phenotypes in post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA).

4. Assess and predict the impact of physical activity, sport and injury on the foot and ankle.

5. To assess the role of muscle and body composition on injury prediction, recovery and the risk of post traumatic osteoarthritis