Normal Temperature Values of the Knee Joint in Professional Athletes

Background. To study the normal temperature values of the anterior surface of the knee joint in professional athletes from Russian national teams using infrared thermography. Materials and methods . The study included 160 professional athletes (73 males and 87 females) with no diagnosed knee joint pathologies. Temperature measurements were performed using the NEC Thermo Tracer TH9100 infrared camera, capturing data from the anterior knee surface and patella. The study was conducted under standardized conditions to eliminate external influences. Results . The median anterior knee surface temperature was 30.58 °C for the right knee and 30.54 °C for the left knee. The patellar temperature was 30.28 and 30.12 °C respectively. No significant differences were observed between the sides. Conclusions . The obtained data can serve as reference values for monitoring knee joint conditions in professional athletes. Temperature indicators were comparable to those seen in early-stage osteoarthritis patients, warranting further research on the impact of intense physical activity on knee joint thermoregulation.