Arthralgia in female Masters weightlifters

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Women's Health

Background:

• Arthralgia (joint pain) is prevalent in older females, with menopausal changes potentially increasing its incidence.
• While physical activity aids osteoarthritis management, sports participation, including weightlifting, carries injury risks.
• Understanding factors contributing to joint pain in female athletes is crucial for injury prevention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between training patterns, previous injuries, and menopausal symptom severity with arthralgia in female Masters weightlifters.
• To identify specific risk factors and protective elements related to joint pain in this athletic population.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to 868 competitive female Masters weightlifters (aged 30-78) from 30 countries.
• Data collected included joint pain sites, weightlifting details, sports history, and menopausal symptoms.
• Logistic regression models analyzed associations between training, history, and menopausal status with arthralgia in various joints.

Main Results:

• Knees (38.8%), shoulders (29.8%), hands/wrists (28.8%), and hips (24.9%) were most affected by arthralgia.
• Arthralgia prevalence increased with menopausal status: 51.5% (pre-menopausal), 62.4% (natural menopause), 73.3% (medical/surgical menopause).
• Lifting heavier weights correlated with hip, knee, and hand/wrist arthralgia; prior strength training showed a protective effect for shoulder arthralgia. Prior injuries and psychological menopausal symptoms increased arthralgia risk.

Conclusions:

• Arthralgia is common among competitive female weightlifters, with higher prevalence post-menopause.
• Training frequency was not linked to arthralgia, but lifting heavier weights was a risk factor. Prior injuries and menopausal symptoms also increased risk.
• Prior strength training demonstrated a protective effect on shoulder joints. Coaches and sports medicine professionals should consider menopausal status and injury history in managing joint pain in these athletes.