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Table 1 Characteristics of the subjects and the study populations by MRI signal grade of menisci (N = 124)

From: Risk factors for lesions of the knee menisci among workers in South Korea’s national parks

Variables

Number of subjects

MRI signal grade of meniscia

Grade 0-1

Grade 2-3

P-value*

N

%

N (%)

N (%)

General characteristics

Sex

Male

116

93.5

48 (41.4)

68 (58.6)

0.361

Female

8

6.5

2 (25.0)

6 (75.0)

Age (year)

<45

66

53.2

32 (48.5)

34 (51.5)

0.048

≥45

58

46.8

18 (31.0)

40 (69.0)

Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2)

<25

75

60.5

31 (41.3)

44 (58.7)

0.777

≥25

49

39.5

19 (38.8)

30 (61.2)

Smoking

Never or past

32

25.8

11 (34.4)

21 (65.6)

0.426

Current

92

74.2

39 (42.4)

53 (57.6)

Alcohol drinking

<1 times/week

64

51.6

23 (35.9)

41 (64.1)

0.304

≥1 times/week

60

48.4

27 (45.0)

33 (55.0)

Regular exercise

Once a week or more

109

87.9

46 (42.2)

63 (57.8)

0.250

Less than once a week

15

12.1

4 (26.7)

11 (73.3)

Leisure activityb

No

47

37.9

22 (46.8)

25 (53.2)

0.250

Yes

77

62.1

28 (36.4)

49 (63.6)

Previous exercise-related knee injury

No

90

72.6

37 (41.1)

53 (58.9)

0.771

Yes

34

27.4

13 (38.2)

21 (61.8)

Previous accident-related knee injury

No

78

62.9

36 (46.2)

42 (53.8)

0.085

Yes

46

37.1

14 (30.4)

32 (69.6)

Previous work-related knee injury

No

61

49.2

29 (47.5)

32 (52.5)

0.107

Yes

63

50.8

21 (33.3)

42 (66.7)

Previous knee pain

No

22

17.7

11 (50.0)

11 (50.0)

0.308

Yes

102

82.3

39 (38.2)

63 (61.8)

Past medical historyc

No

86

69.4

39 (45.4)

47 (54.6)

0.086

Yes

38

30.6

11 (28.9)

27 (71.1)

Occupational characteristics

Overtime labor

No

23

18.5

9 (39.1)

14 (60.9)

0.897

Yes

101

81.5

41 (40.6)

60 (59.4)

Holiday use

Yes

119

96.0

48 (40.3)

71 (59.7)

0.988

No

5

4.0

2 (40.0)

3 (60.0)

Physical burden of workd

Low

101

81.5

42 (41.6)

59 (58.4)

0.548

High

23

18.5

8 (34.8)

15 (65.2)

Stair flighte

No

92

74.2

41 (44.6)

51 (55.4)

0.103

Yes

32

25.8

9 (28.1)

23 (71.9)

Kneelingf

No

100

80.6

41 (41.0)

59 (59.0)

0.754

Yes

24

19.4

9 (37.5)

15 (62.5)

The cumulative intensity of trekking 1

<17 years

67

54.0

34 (50.8)

33 (49.2)

0.010

(= Tenure)

≥17 years

57

46.0

16 (28.1)

41 (71.9)

The cumulative intensity of trekking 2g

Low

40

32.3

21 (52.5)

19 (47.5)

0.019

Medium

55

44.3

22 (40.0)

33 (60.0)

High

29

23.4

7 (24.1)

22 (75.9)

The cumulative intensity of trekking 3h

Low

42

33.9

23 (54.8)

19 (45.2)

0.006

Medium

65

52.4

24 (36.9)

41 (63.1)

High

17

13.7

3 (17.6)

14 (82.4)

MRI scan area

Left knee

59

47.6

   

Right knee

60

48.4

   

Both knees

5

4.0

   

MRI signal grade of meniscii

0

36

29.0

   

1

14

11.3

   

2

57

46.0

   

3

17

13.7

   

Location of menisci tear

No menisci tear

50

40.3

   

Lateral

22

17.8

   

Medial

52

41.9

   

Site of menisci tear

No menisci tear

50

40.3

   

Anterior horn

11

8.9

   

Body of menisci

5

4.0

   

Posterior horn

58

46.8

   

Type of menisci tear

No menisci tear

50

40.3

   

Longitudinal

0

0.0

   

Radial

29

23.4

   

Horizontal

43

34.7

   

Complex

2

1.6

   
  1. aGrading system based on the MRI signals decribed by Crues et al.
  2. bLeisure activities requiring physical activity, Two or more times per week
  3. cRheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes, Lupus disease, Gout, Osteoporosis, Menopause, Osteoarthritis, etc
  4. dLow : tolerable workload, High : intolerable workload
  5. eLast month an average of two more steps (36 cm) jump down the stairs at least 20 times for a day
  6. fMore than 2 h a day for 1 month average
  7. gcalculated with trail distance, employment period, trekking times
  8. hcalculated with trail distance, employment period, trekking times, trail difficulty
  9. iAll menisci were graded according to Crues JV II et al.: grade 0, no high signal in the menisci; grade 1, irregular type of high signal in the menisci; grade 2, linear type of high signal in the menisci; grade 3, extension of high signal to the margin of the menisci
  10. * P-value by chi-squared test