Female Athletes at More Risk of Knee Injuries
According to a new research study female athletes are eight times at more risk of knee injuries compared to male athletes.
Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Cleveland Clinic had done a research study on 10 male and 10 female athletes. They found that women land from a jump with a more flexible muscle. Moreover, their foot rolls outward with an elevated arch. Women also have more knee internal rotation and knee abduction compared to men.
As part of the study, the athletes were asked to jump, and their movement was recorded using the more advanced three dimensional high-speed motion analysis techniques. The athletes were asked to do 10 drop jumps, and the researchers observed lower-limb-joint kinematics and kinetics, both before and after fatigue.
Great difference is found in these movements and loads between male and female athletes. This is considered to be the major cause for why sportswomen are at more risk of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries during landing.
Research shows that 1 in every 10 women athletes suffer from ACL injury at least once in their life. Further research needs to be done to understand the real causes of knee injuries in women athletes. The researchers feel that once the causes are found, it opens the doors to devise a more personalized approach to prevent and treat knee injuries.
Source: March 2007 issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.