Women’s Risks for Sports Injury

Posted: April 1, 2004

With increased participation of women in sports activities, there has been a concomitant increase in sports injuries and overuse syndromes in women.

Women participating in the same sports as men generally have the same type of injuries as their male counterparts. However, anatomical and physiological considerations result in unique injury risks and conditions for women.

Increased risk for knee and ankle injury
In particular, female athletes appear to be two to eight times more likely to sustain a knee or ankle injury than their male counterparts. This has been related to anatomical differences, neuromuscular differences, and to the possibility that estrogen receptors, normally present in ligaments, may serve as an intrinsic risk factor to ligamentous injury.

While preliminary studies have shown that the results of reconstruction of the knee's anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), for example, may not be gender-dependent, little is known about optimal treatments and rehabilitation strategies for common female athletic injuries.

To prevent knee injuries, there must be added focus on strength building, conditioning and body control.

Other musculoskeletal problems also are more common in the female athlete. These include scoliosis in the spine, bunions and increased pronation (bending forward) in the foot. Another potential issue related to the foot is the fact that most women's athletic shoes are designed for men and have been scaled down, but not adapted to the shape of a woman's foot.

The female athletic triad
The phrase "the female athletic triad" was coined to describe the complex interplay of disordered eating, menstrual irregularity and osteoporosis seen in the female athlete.

It is not known whether the loss in bone mineral density at a young age will lead to premature fracture, but the incidence of stress fractures in amenorrheic athletes (teens or women experiencing an abnormal suppression of menstruation) is increasing.

The "female athlete triad" is very common in some elite sports. Its true prevalence is unknown, but it appears to be greater in athletes, adolescents, and young adults, especially people who are perfectionists and overachievers. The triad can also appear in older women.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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