Sports Injuries and Female Athletes

Hey Just Tri babes!

It’s an unfortunate reality but sport injuries are often inevitable. Regardless of how careful you are, they do occur and, for women, the rate of injury is actually higher. Historically, girls and boys have been treated, trained and coached similarly ultimately perpetuating the "gender gap". Youth females are four to six times more susceptible to sport injuries, compared to their male counterparts. There are a variety of reasons for this gap and much that remains uncertain. Acknowledging and understanding how gender affects injury sports will empower you, your parents and coaches to take action in an effort to keep you safe and support sport injury prevention practices.

Over the past 30 years, soccer related injuries that resulted in a visit to the emergency room have increased over 78% and annual injury rates have increased 111%. Youth athletes specializing in one sport are more susceptible to overuse injuries compared to multi-sport athletes. Injuries are caused by a lack of neuromuscular control (due to strength and recruitment), inconsistent strength training, low extremity biomechanics and fluctuating hormones.

Why are youth female athletes more prone to injuries?

The increased incidence of injuries among female athletes is due to a combination of reasons. Due to limited research, actual evidence-based answers are still limited but there are a few theories. It may seem like sports-related injuries are based on personal training or by chance but gender does impact the level of risk. Research shows that must non-contact injuries occur after the onset of puberty when the female body undergoes a lot of changes posing unique obstacles. For example, a female athlete, compared to a male, has:

• higher estrogen levels, less muscle mass and more body fat
• increased elasticity and flexibility because of looser ligaments and lower total power outputs
• a wider pelvis, altering the alignment of the knee and ankle (Q-angle)
• smaller internal knee cavities for the ACL to connect through
• different force absorption and movement patterns when jumping (land more upright with knees closer together) and changing direction (cutting with only one foot due to wider pelvis)
• smaller bone dimensions, lower bone density
• weaker supporting muscles around knees and shoulder joints
• larger hip to femoral length ratio, greater hip adduction
• increased knee abduction (valgus) motion

What are 4 most common injuries?

Sports and training can be very fulfilling activities. They’re great for boosting confidence and resilience. But an injury (life altering or not) can really set you back. Another factor that adds to increased injury risk is the nature of the sport. The 4 most common injuries female athletes experience are:

• Ankle sprains
• Stress fractures
• Knee injuries (i.e. patellofemoral syndrome and tears ligaments)
• Plantar fasciitis

Although gender differences do predispose women more to certain musculoskeletal injuries, balanced nutrition, attention to sleep, and a structured exercise routine can mitigate injury risk. In a perfect world, all of your lifts, practices, runs, etc. would be pain-free without soreness, aches or any other disturbances. Unfortunately, we don’t live in that world so it is important to take extra care prior to playing sports and exercising with these helpful tips:

• Get an adequate amount of sleep (at least 8-10 hours).
• Fuel around training (nutrient timing and energy availability is more important for female athletes)
• Hydrate prior, during and after exercise to fend off fatigue.
• Incorporate leg lifts, back bridges, and standing hip flexor exercises to help improve motion and flexibility and develop stronger hips* and glutes. *It’s recommended to increase strength and recruitment in the hip musculature in order to protect the knee from injury in female athletes.
• Add in balance, weight bearing and jumping exercises to help maintain bone density and increase stability while strengthening the legs.
• Wear proper footwear and sports bras* when working out. *Wearing an ill-fitting bra contributes to a lack of breast support which can lead to breast pain and decreased performance by 4%.
• Gradually increase your workout intensities and workout lengths*. *A good rule of thumb is to avoid increasing volume by 10-12% each week.

No matter your gender or how careful you are, injuries are a part of sports. If you experience a musculoskeletal injury, you should see a certified athletic trainer, physical therapist or an orthopedic surgeon to understand treatment options and the recovery process. I’d also recommend always getting a second opinion.

I wish you many happy, healthy, and pain-free workouts to come!

Thank you for reading this week's blog!

Have a great week, get some movement in, and as always, Just Tri!!

Yours in Sport,

Lindsay

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