How past sports injuries and sitting habits affect later health
Official title: Life After Sport: Prior Injury and Sedentary Behavior as Mechanisms of Later Poor Health
Funded at Marquette University · NIH-11171401 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether former athletes—especially those with past injuries—who spend a lot of time sitting have worse physical function and health in midlife.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Marquette University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $376,439 |
| NIH project number | 5DP5OD031833-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11171401 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who previously played competitive high school or college sports (with or without a history of injury) and similar-aged people who did not play competitive sports are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People whose health problems come from unrelated conditions (for example, genetic or actively progressive diseases) may not receive direct benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
The team will compare physical function, pain, and daily activity patterns in former high school and college athletes (with and without prior injuries) and people who did not play competitive sports. Participants will complete physical tests, activity tracking, and questionnaires about pain and quality of life. Researchers will examine whether prior injuries explain poorer function and whether high sedentary time persists after sports careers, including differences between men and women. Results aim to point to targeted ways to preserve mobility and quality of life as athletes age.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify who is at higher risk and lead to programs to reduce sitting and improve long-term function and quality of life for former athletes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have hinted that prior injury and high sedentary time link to worse function, but comparing former amateur athletes (including women) with detailed activity tracking is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Marquette University
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Capin, Jacob J — Marquette University
- Study coordinator: Capin, Jacob J
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.