Clinical outcomes related to the after-career consultation in retired male footballers

Abstract

The After-Career Consultation (ACC) was developed to empower the physical, mental and social health of retired professional footballers and effectively address their specific health challenges. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical outcomes (e.g., prevalence of health conditions) and recommendations to retired professional footballers who undertook the ACC. A quasi-experimental study was conducted. Forty-seven retired male professional footballers underwent ACCs. Ten participants had a diagnosis of osteoarthritis (21.3%), 4 (8.5%) met the criteria for a diagnosis of generalised anxiety disorder, 7 (14.9%) met the criteria for a diagnosis of depression and 7 (14.9%) met the criteria for Stage 1 hypertension. Health-related quality of life scores among retired footballers undergoing the ACC were above average compared to the general population. Clinical recommendations were made to participants in relation to their musculoskeletal (n=12, 25.5%), cardiovascular (n=12, 25.5%), mental (n=10, 21.3%) and lifestyle (n=20, 42.6%) health. Eleven participants (23.4%) were referred for further investigations, and secondary referral to other specialists was arranged for 4 (8.5%). Participants reported high satisfaction with the ACC. The ACC could complement existing player welfare strategies to provide a well-rounded approach to managing the long-term health of professional footballers throughout the lifespan.