Know why female athletes are prone to anterior cruciate ligament tears:
Certain injuries like ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears are more common in female athletes than they are in males. The reasons for the same are not clear though. However, the prevailing theories claim that anatomical differences between men and women, hormones, and other factors are responsible for the same. Thus, the female athletes end up becoming the victims of ACL tears at an alarmingly higher rate in certain sports including basketball, team handball, and soccer.
What is an ACL?
The ACL is a ligament in the knee that connects the femur to the tibia. Experts emphasized that the ACL is extraordinarily strong. However, it has very little elasticity. According to orthopedic experts, the ACL can absorb huge amount of stress. But, it is torn at a point when it can’t hold on anymore. Such tears are common in sports that require pivoting and jumping, including soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and skiing.
Women Vs men
When it comes to the anatomy, men and women are not the same. The female pelvis is wider. According to experts, this anatomical difference changes the mechanics of how the thigh bone, tibia, and femur function. In case of females, a wider pelvis puts more stress on the soft tissues that support the joints, experts explained. Subsequently, higher stress can lead to either a chronic or acute injury caused due to overuse or any sudden incident. As per researchers, female athletes are about two to eight times more likely to witness ACL tears than their male counterparts. Some experts also believe that women have less muscle mass around their knees than men. This can also result in instability and ligament tear, if the same is overstretched.
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Role of hormones
A section of experts also blame the hormonal differences in men and women for the vulnerability of the fairer sex. As compared to men, women have less testosterone, which is a vital hormone needed for increasing muscle density. Besides, women also have more estrogen than men. Estrogen is essential for bone growth. But, the level of estrogen fluctuates during a woman’s menstrual cycle. Estrogen may also cause greater looseness in tendons and ligaments, making the females more prone to injury. According to a study, some women, who were found to have more ACL injuries than expected, were experiencing the ovulatory phase. They witnessed fewer injuries during the follicular phase, the study claimed. However, there is no consensus among researchers about the role of hormones in increasing the probability of ACL tear in women.
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What can women do to lower the risk?
Physical movement classes should occur very early in life. Children must be taught to land safely and in control. Similarly, specific strength training programs can address landing as well as foot movements during cutting in basketball. Coaches should issue stem warnings when athletes demonstrate a high-risk movement patterns such as one-leg landings, out-of-control baseline landings especially in females. In women, usually quadricep muscles are stronger than the hamstring muscles. Specific strength programs that balance both the muscles can be a way of reducing the chance of getting injured. It is also important to build good core and hip muscle strength.
Female athletes should also fine tune their coordination or neuromuscular control. There are neuromuscular training programs that work on jumping, hopping, pivoting, and other movements. These programs train athletes how to quickly stabilize their bodies.
