Does it sound like a problem? Knee crepitus prevalence and self-reported frequency in runners with and without knee surgery and its association with knee osteoarthritis beliefs.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the prevalence (objectively assessed) and self-reported frequency of knee crepitus between runners with and without a history of knee surgery and evaluate associations between knee crepitus and knee osteoarthritis beliefs.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Two-hundred-and-fourteen runners (50% female), 106 without a history of knee surgery (controls) and 108 with a history of knee surgery. A clinician-led examination was used to assess knee crepitus presence (yes/no). Self-reported knee crepitus frequency was evaluated using a single item from the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (never, rarely, sometimes, often, and always). Knee osteoarthritis beliefs were assessed on seven statements, where participants responded using a five-point Likert scale (strongly disagree, disagree, uncertain, agree, and strongly agree). Log-binomial and ordinal logistic regression models were used to explore whether crepitus prevalence and frequency differed between groups. The association between crepitus and knee osteoarthritis beliefs was assessed with Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

Runners with a history of knee surgery had a higher prevalence and more frequent self-reported knee crepitus compared to runners without surgery (prevalence ratio = 1.23 [1.04 to 1.46] 82% vs 67%, respectively; frequency: adjusted odds ratio = 2.87 [1.73 to 4.76]). Knee crepitus was not associated with any knee osteoarthritis belief statements (rho ranged from -0.18 to 0.19, p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Runners with a history of knee surgery had a higher prevalence and more frequent self-reported knee crepitus than runners without surgery. Crepitus was not associated with knee osteoarthritis beliefs in runners, regardless of their knee surgery history.