Musculoskeletal Imaging of Runners

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The investigators aimed to assess the impact of long-distance running on musculoskeletal system of runners, by doing high resolution magnetic resonance imaging analysis before and after marathon running.

Detailed Description
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Rationale for the study: This research will examine a key modifiable risk factor for health and well- being: exercise. Regular exercise is highly recommended by healthcare professionals because the whole body benefits, including cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal systems and mental wellbeing. Long-distance running is a popular physical activity with more than 30 million individuals running marathons each year. The increasing participation of first-time runners, including older people, has been linked to a rise in related injuries. The ideal dose of exercise is not known and overdosage affects some musculoskeletal tissues and joints more than others. Overdoing a specific amount of exercise and the presence of chronic injuries may pose a great risk on the joints, leading to serious conditions such as osteoarthritis, musculoskeletal injuries, tendinopathy. However, it is not yet clear whether a high dose of exercise such as marathon running damages the musculoskeletal system and there is a growing need for research in the area of running science to better understand this. Aim: This research aims to do musculoskeletal imaging before and after long-distance running using 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging and to provide evidence on how much exercise people should undertake and how to minimise injury.

Official Title
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Musculoskeletal Imaging of Runners

Conditions
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Musculoskeletal Injury

Intervention / Treatment
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* Radiation: 3T MRI


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: no previous marathon participations no present or previous history of hip injuries or surgeries asymptomatic hip joints no contradindications to hip MRI scanning Exclusion Criteria: pregnant or breastfeeding women individuals aged <18 years claustrophobia history of anxiety or panic attacks known hip problems

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 70 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Radiation: 3T MRI|The main method used will be 3 Tesla MRI, which is a high resolution imaging technique. The participants will be asked to undergo musculoskeletal MRI scanning (pelvis and lumbar spine).MRI is a non-invasive procedure which excludes the risk of radiation (in comparison to other imaging modalities: X-ray, CT|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in radiographic score after marathon running |  | up to 1 year | 
| Change in self-reported hip questionnaire after marathon running |  | up to 1 year | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of participants who finished the training for/and the marathon vs not finishing |  | up to 4 months |