AB0085 ULTRASONOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF THE METACARPAL CARTILAGE THICKNESS IN WEIGHTLIFTERS AND VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS
Authors: Öner İskender, Bayram Kaymak, Murat Kara, Ayşen Akıncı, Bülent Ülkar, Levent Özçakar
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2019)

<h3>Background</h3> Articular cartilage is inevitably exposed to impact and loading in different sports play. Despite the fact that it is quite prone to different forms of overloading, the metacarpal cartilage has not been looked into in the pertinent literature. Accordingly, in this comparative study, we have assessed the metacarpal cartilage in volleyball players and weightlifters whereby different forms of stress is naturally prevalent in the athletes' hands. <h3>Objectives</h3> To evaluate the possible effects of impact and loading on the metacarpal cartilage and hand functions in young athletes. <h3>Methods</h3> A total of 42 male athletes (19 weight-lifters and 23 volleyball players) and 46 healthy control subjects were enrolled. Demographic and clinical characteristics (age, height, weight, smoking habit, duration/type of sport, dominant hand) were recorded. The 2<sup>nd</sup> to 5<sup>th</sup> finger metacarpal head cartilage thicknesses were measured bilaterally using ultrasonography. Handgrip strength was measured with Jamar dynamometer; pinch strengths (lateral, tip to tip and three jaw chuck pinch) were measured using a pinchmeter. Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire was also completed for each and every participant. <h3>Results</h3> Metacarpal cartilage thicknesses of the athletes (more predominant in weightlifters) were found to be thicker than those of the healthy controls (all p&lt;0.001). There were no differences between the dominant and non-dominant hands (all p&gt;0.05). Athletes' handgrip and pinch strengths were higher than those of the controls. In the weightlifting group, Michigan Hand Outcome Questionnaire work performance and pain scores were worse than the other groups. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The presence of increased cartilage thickness measurements in the athletes suggests that sports activities might affect the metacarpal articular cartilage. Highest pain scores and lowest work performance scores in the weightlifters with highest metacarpal cartilage thickness might suggest that impact and loading during their sports play could lead to cartilage edema. <h3>References</h3> [1] Gratzke C, Glaser C, Englmeier KH, et al. Comparison of cartilage morphology in professional weight lifters and sprinters with normal volunteers suggests that human articular cartilage cannot adapt to functional stimulation. Osteoarthritis Cartilage2002;10: S11. [2] Onat ŞŞ, Ata AM, Serrano S, et al. Ultrasonographic measurements of the metacarpophalangeal and talar cartilage thicknesses: A reliability study in healthy subjects. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2018; 31:253-7. [3] Sun HB. Mechanical loading, cartilage degradation, and arthritis. Ann N Y Acad Sci2010; 1211:37-50. [4] Sadeghi H, Shepherd DET, Espino DM. Effect of the variation of loading frequency on surface failure of bovine articular cartilage. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2015;23(12):2252-2258. [5] Eckstein F, Hudelmaier M, Putz R. The effects of exercise on human articular cartilage. J Anat2006; 208:491-512. [6] Yıldızgören MT, Ekiz T, Nizamoğulları S. et al. Effects of habitual knuckle cracking on metacarpal cartilage thickness and grip strength. Hand Surg Rehabil 2017; 36:41-3. <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> None declared