KNEE INJURIES IN FEMALE ATHLETES

Female athletes are at increased risk for certain sports-related injur ies, particularly those involving the knee. Factors that contribute to this increased risk are the differences in sports undertaken and in g ender anatomy and structure. Gender differences include baseline level of conditioning, lower extremity alignment, physiological laxity, pel vis width, tibial rotation and foot alignment. Sports like gymnastics and cheerleading create a noncontact environment, but can result in si gnificant knee injuries. In quick stepping and cutting sports, females have an increased incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injur y by noncontact mechanisms. Patellofemoral (PF) disorders are also ver y common in female athletes. Awareness of these facts helps the sports medicine professional make an accurate diagnosis and institute earlie r treatment-focused rehabilitation with or without surgery. Further pr ospective and retrospective research is needed in areas of epidemiolog y, mechanisms, severity and types of knee injuries. The goal is to les sen the severity of certain knee injuries and to prevent others.