# Clinical Outcomes Related to the After-Career Consultation in Retired Male Footballers

## TL;DR

This study examines the health outcomes of retired male footballers who participated in an After-Career Consultation, finding common health issues and high satisfaction with the program.

## Contribution

The study introduces a specialized health consultation for retired footballers and reports its clinical outcomes and recommendations.

## Key findings

- 21.3% of participants had osteoarthritis, and 14.9% had depression or anxiety.
- Health-related quality of life scores were above average compared to the general population.
- 42.6% of participants received lifestyle-related clinical recommendations.

## 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.