Women's Health Case Studies

Female athletes are more likely to experience knee injuries

• Studies have shown that female athletes are more likely to sustain an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury than males participating in the same sports. Some researchers propose that female athletes may be more prone to these injuries because of inherent neuromuscular mechanisms involved in their movements. Strategies that focus on neuromuscular control have been successful in decreasing ACL injuries in female athletes
• Other investigators hypothesize that differences in sex hormones may play a role in females’ susceptibility to ACL injuries. For example, studies have shown that estrogen and progesterone receptors are present in the fibroblasts of human ACL. In addition, laxity of the ACL was shown to vary across the menstrual cycle, which may influence the likelihood for injury.