Table 5 Musculoskeletal health in retired Great Britain’s Olympians

Women (n = 246)

Prevalence % (95% CI)

Men (n = 354)

Prevalence % (95% CI)

All (n = 600)

Overall prevalence (95% CI)

Pain (last 4 weeks)

 Lumbar spine

83

33.7 (27.8–39.7)

114

32.2 (27.3–37.1)

197

32.8 (29.1–36.6)

 Knee

65

26.4 (20.9–32.0)

87

24.6 (20.1–29.1)

152

25.3 (21.8–28.8)

 Hip

51

20.7 (15.6–25.8)

84

23.7 (19.3–28.2)

135

22.5 (19.1–25.8)

 Ankle

38

15.4 (10.9–20.0)

46

13.0 (9.5–16.5)

84

14.0 (11.2–16.8)

 Cervical spine

21

8.5 (5.0–12.1)

32

9.0 (6.0–12.0)

53

8.8 (6.6–11.1)

 1st metatarsophalangeal joint

7

2.8 (0.8–4.9)

5

1.4 (1.8–2.6)

12

2.0 (0.9–3.1)

 1st carpometacarpal joint

6

2.4 (0.5–4.4)

5

1.4 (1.8–2.6)

11

1.8 (0.8–2.9)

Women (n = 268)

Prevalence %

(95% CI)

Men

(n = 367)

Prevalence %

(95% CI)

All (n = 635)

Overall prevalence (95% CI)

 Knee

31

11.6 (7.7–15.4)

54

14.7 (11.1–18.4)

85

13.4 (10.7–16.0)

 Hip

21

7.8 (4.6–11.1)

45

12.3 (8.9–15.6)

66

10.4 (8.0–12.8)

 Lumbar spine

20

7.5 (4.3–10.6) *

9

2.5 (0.9–4.0)

29

4.6 (2.9–6.2)

 1st carpometacarpal joint

6

2.2 (0.5–4.0)

8

2.2 (0.7–3.7)

14

2.2 (1.1–3.4)

 1st metatarsophalangeal joint

5

1.9 (0.2–3.5)

8

2.2 (0.7–3.7)

13

2.0 (0.9–3.2)

 Cervical spine

5

1.9 (0.2–3.5)

7

1.9 (0.5–3.3)

12

1.9 (0.8–3.0)

 Ankle

6

2.2 (0.5–4.0)

5

1.4 (0.2–2.6)

11

1.7 (0.7–2.8)