While MRI has been widely used to examine the effects of translational forces on cartilage matrix structure, studies looking at rotational forces are limited. Breaststroke swimmers are a population of interest since the repeated use of the breaststroke kick has been cited as a source of knee pain. However, the cartilage of breaststrokers has not been quantitatively measured to investigate possible differences and the potential increased risk of cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis development. This study compares the T2 relaxation times of various compartments for patellar, femoral, and tibial cartilage at the superficial, deep, and aggregate levels between breaststrokers and nonbreaststrokers.
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