Soccer: the effects of articular cartilage injury and degeneration in soccer players.

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More than 300 million play soccer across the globe and while the game is one of fast footwork, two organizations are trying to make sure these athletes stay on their feet. Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) have teamed up on a special supplement of Cartilage (published by SAGE) that examines the effects of articular cartilage injury and degeneration in soccer players.

"This issue provides a compact reference for players, coaches, medical staff, and researchers working with football players," wrote editors Kai Mithoefer, Lars Peterson, Daniel Saris, Bert Mandelbaum, and Jiri Dvorák. "Furthermore, it intends to act as a catalyst for the advancement of science and education of cartilage injury in soccer."

This supplement builds upon FIFA's successful 11+ program that is an easy-to-follow, standardized warm-up routine that helps all levels of soccer athletes reduce injury. In keeping with the theme, Cartilage features 11 articles that provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge around cartilage injury, prevention strategies and treatment options.

The introduction written by the co-editors is available free for a limited time at: http://car.sagepub.com/content/3/1_suppl/4S.full.pdf+html

The special supplement of Cartilage features the following contributions:
• Editorial: "Special Issue on Articular Cartilage Injury in the Football (Soccer) Player" by Kai Mithoefer, Lars Peterson, Daniel Saris, Bert Mandelbaum, and Jiri Dvorák
• Executive Summary: "'Cartilage Issues in Football (Soccer): An Executive Summary of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)/International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) Initiative" by Bert Mandelbaum
• "Scientific Evidence Base for Cartilage Injury and Repair in the Athlete" by Matthias Steinwachs, Lars Engebretsen, and Robert H. Brophy
• "Clinical and Basic Science of Cartilage Injury and Arthritis in the Soccer Athlete" by Hannah Hoeun Lee and Constance R. Chu
• "Microfracture in Football (Soccer) Players: A Case Series of Professional Athletes and Systematic Review" by Kai Mithoefer and Richard J. Steadman
• "Osteochondral Autograft and Mosaicplasty in the Football Athlete" by Gergely Pánics, Eszter Baló, Gábor Vásárhelyi, Tamás Gál, and László Hangody
• "Osteochondral and Meniscal Allograft Transplantation in the Football (Soccer) Player" by Simon Görtz, Riley J. Williams, Wayne Gersoff, and William D. Bugbee
• "Evolution and Current Role of Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation for Treatment of Articular Cartilage Defects in the Football (Soccer) Player" by Kai Mithoefer, Lars Peterson, Daniel B.F. Saris, and Bert R. Mandelbaum
• "Management of the Retired Athlete with Osteoarthritis of the Knee" by Donald T. Kirkendall and William E. Garrett, Jr.
• "Rehabilitation after Articular Cartilage Repair of the Knee in the Football Player" by Karen Hambly, Holly Jacinda Silvers and Matthias Steinwachs
• "Return to Sports after Articular Cartilage Repair in the Football Player" by Kai Mithoefer and Stefano Della Villa
• "New Frontiers for Cartilage Repair and Protection" by Kenneth Zaslav, Tim McAdams, Jason M. Scopp, Jason Theodosakis, Vivek Mahajan and Alberto Gobbi
• "Cartilage Repair in Football (Soccer) Athletes: What Evidence Leads to Which Treatment? A Critical Review of the Literature" by Joris EJ Bekkers, Tommy S. de Windt, Mats Brittberg and Daniel BF Saris