Hundreds of professional athletes retire each year. Unfortunately, many of them spend retirement in physical and mental pain – the result of abusing their bodies for years on the playing field. They suffer from ailments such as dementia, severe arthritis and nutritional/dietary problems that change their lives forever. 

The Center for the Study of Retired Athletes at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) is investigating the spectrum of physical and mental challenges these retired athletes face. The primary goals of the Center are to collect epidemiological data on retired professional athletes and to provide medical care for select retirees in a research setting. The hope is that the research findings will help improve the quality of life for many retired athletes. This information also will be used to prepare active athletes for a healthier retirement. 

The Center’s research is conducted in cooperation with nationally recognized researchers and clinicians who provide expertise in a number of disciplines including: cardiology, nutrition/exercise physiology, neuropsychology/neurosurgery, psychiatry/psychology, orthopedics, geriatrics/gerontology, epidemiology, clinical athletic training/physical therapy and applied biomechanics.