Every two years, we watch the world’s best athletes compete in either the Winter or Summer Olympics. They display what can seem like superhuman strength, endurance, and athleticism, made possible by their peak physical condition. Years after they’ve hung up their cleats, skates, or swim caps, though, how does their health hold up? A new study finds that, in most areas, they do fare better than the average Joe. There are two conditions for which they may be at higher risk, though.

Keele University in the United Kingdom recently looked into the health of Great Britain Olympians years after their retirement to see how they were or were not impacted by common health conditions compared with the general population. The team says there’s not much data on this topic, and learning more can help develop preventive strategies to lower the risk of any conditions for which Olympians are predisposed. The research, published in the journal Sports Medicine – Open, included just under 500 athletes and just over 8,000 controls.

In what may not be a surprising finding given their physical activity, the retired athletes had a lower risk of diabetes, stroke, obesity, and angina. They were also less apt to suffer from asthma, lung diseases, and eye disorders. Female athletes had a lower risk of abnormal heart rhythm and osteoporosis, as well. The researchers say all these benefits are likely linked with the Olympians' cardiovascular health, especially if the athletes competed in endurance or power sports.

However, there were some conditions that impacted athletes more than their non-Olympian peers. The first was skin cancer, for which the overall risk was low but higher among those who competed in outdoor events like track and field, rowing, and sailing. The second higher risk condition was osteoarthritis, for which the athletes had 7.8% more cases than the controls.

The researchers say this highlights the need to develop strategies to prevent these two conditions in Olympic athletes.

Dr. Caroline Aylott, Head of Research Delivery at Versus Arthritis, which funded the study, says, “What this research reinforces is that osteoarthritis is not a disease of ‘wear and tear’ and that there are complex factors that can lead to the development of the disease. The researchers highlight that in Olympians this is largely due to sports related injury, which is more common within their occupation, and that injury is a well-established risk factor for later developing osteoarthritis.

“By deepening our understanding of how osteoarthritis develops, especially following injury, we can accelerate the development of early interventions and push for better injury prevention strategies, not only for Olympic athletes but for everyone. Continued investment in this kind of research is essential if we’re to reduce the burden of osteoarthritis."