Anatomical Differences For Female Athletes

Superior Essays
Don’t Tear it Female athletes on average are 3.5 times riskier for non-contact Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries compared to males (Ireland). The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in the knee is likely to tear if a person lands wrong on it, which can be heard or felt by a pop or snap. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament is one of four ligaments that attach the femur, tibia and fibula. There are many sports that an ACL tear is more likely to occur in, such as, basketball, soccer and skiing. People need to become more aware of the prevention needed so that multiple females are not injured every year. Outside factors may be a problem but if muscles are in proper shape and strength it should not be a problem. Due to females’ physiological differences, …show more content…
Female athletes have hormonal influences, biomechanical factors, neuromuscular factors, and anatomic differences that affect how more they get injured. Women’s anatomical differences to consider are they can be more knock-kneed, their femoral notch size, ACL dimensions, the Q-angle, and the degree of knee laxity they have. Coaches always have different techniques when conditioning their athletes which can be an outside factor. Athletes will always have different skill level which coaches need to take into consideration when pushing their athletes (Voskanian). Ireland agreed that “Women are not taught to land with their hips over their knees and land on both feet in a coordinated way” (Sullivan). Adolescents suffer from a disproportionate number of ACL injuries when they hit puberty. Females will have to find a way to prevent the injuries they are prone to the …show more content…
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Female Athletes: Epidemiology.” Journal of Athletic Training 1999: 150-154. Print.
Lister, Valerie. “Women’s Knees Scrutinized.” USA TODAY. 25 Mar. 1998. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.
Rodenberg, RE, K, IV Cayce, and S Hall. “Your Guide to a dreaded Injury: ACL Tear.” Contemporary Pediatrics 2006, CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 29 Nov. 2014
Schwager, Tina. “The Anterior Cruciate Ligament.” American Fitness 2009: 22-28. EBSCOHost. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.
Smith, Helen C. et al. “Risk Factors for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: A Review for the Literature - Part 2: Hormonal, Genetic, Cognitive Function, Prevention Injury, and Extrinsic Risk Factors.” Sports Health 2012: 155-161. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.
Sullivan, Dana. “On Mended Knee.” Sports Illustrated 2001: 62. EBSCOHost. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.
Swift, Mike. “The ACL Club.” Hartford Courant. 21 Jan. 2001: Mag. Sec. 1+. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.
Voskanian, Natalie. “ACL Injury Prevention in Female Athletes: Review of the Literature and Practical Considerations in Implementing an ACL Prevention Program.” Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine 2014: 158-163. Web. 29 Nov.

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