Retired Olympic athletes at greater risk of skin cancer and osteoarthritis, research reveals

Researchers from Keele University have revealed that retired Olympic athletes are more likely to develop skin cancer and osteoarthritis than the general population.  

In their paper published in the journal Sports Medicine - Open, Dr Dale Cooper and Professor Julius Sim set out to investigate how prevalent health conditions like cancer, diabetes, arthritis and heart conditions are among retired elite sportspeople, given a lack of existing health data for this group.  

They examined data from a cross-section of 493 retired Olympic athletes from Great Britain, and compared this with an age- and sex-matched group from the general population.  

Their results indicated that the retired athletes were more likely than the general population to report melanoma or other types of skin cancer, particularly those who competed in outdoor disciplines such as sailing, rowing, or athletics.   

Their data also indicated that these athletes were more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis: a condition that causes inflammation and pain within the joints. They found that there were 7.8% more cases of osteoarthritis in retired athletes compared to the reference population.   

But despite this increased risk for these conditions, the researchers also found that retired athletes were significantly less likely than the general population to report other health conditions like diabetes, stroke, and asthma.  

The researchers, whose work was funded by the charity Versus Arthritis through their Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Research, put retired Olympic athletes’ lower risk of having multiple conditions down to their superior cardiovascular health, particularly those who competed in endurance and power sporting disciplines. 

Dr Dale Cooper, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy and lead author of the paper, said: "Our study offers a unique insight into the long-term health of retired Olympic athletes from Great Britain. While these athletes achieved exceptional physical performance during their sporting careers, we found they were more likely to develop osteoarthritis and skin cancer than the general population. Although the overall risk of skin cancer among retired athletes was small, it was more common among those who had competed in outdoor sports such as sailing, rowing, and athletics.  

“There was also a clear health benefit associated with participating in elite sport: both male and female retired Olympic athletes had fewer health conditions overall and better cardiovascular health, particularly those from endurance and power-based sports. Our findings highlight the need for targeted athlete welfare and prevention strategies to reduce the risk of skin cancer and osteoarthritis."  

Dr Caroline Aylott, Head of Research Delivery at Versus Arthritis, added: “Osteoarthritis affects around 10 million people in the UK, making everyday tasks, like working, caring for loved ones, or simply moving without pain, extremely difficult for many.  

“While this new research, funded by Versus Arthritis, shows that retired Olympians may face a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis, it's important to note that this isn’t about exercise being harmful, on the contrary, physical activity is vital for joint and overall health.   

“What this research reinforces is that OA is not a disease of "wear and tear" and that there are complex factors that can lead to the development of the disease. The researchers highlight that in Olympians this is largely due to sports related injury, which is more common within their occupation, and that injury is a well-established risk factor for later developing OA.  

“That’s why this work from the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Research Versus Arthritis is so critical.  

“By deepening our understanding of how osteoarthritis develops, especially following injury, we can accelerate the development of early interventions and push for better injury prevention strategies, not only for Olympic athletes but for everyone. Continued investment in this kind of research is essential if we’re to reduce the burden of osteoarthritis."