Common athletic injuries in adolescent girls

Teenaged girls constitute the fastest growing segment of children and adole scents participating in organized athletics. Adolescent girls appear to hav e similar injury rates as boys in comparable activities but different injur y patterns. To properly diagnose and manage athletic injuries in adolescent girls, pediatric health care providers must be aware of these differences, especially as the literature and their knowledge base may be skewed to the traditional predominance of males in sport. This review identifies athleti c injuries that are unique to or especially common in adolescent girls, inc luding apophyseal injuries; breast and pelvic injuries; scoliosis and spond ylolysis; multidirectional shoulder instability and "gymnast's wrist"; ante rior cruciate ligament injuries and patellofemoral pain syndrome; chronic e xertional lower-leg compartment syndrome, ankle sprains, and reflex sympath etic dystrophy; and stress fractures. It also briefly discusses possible ri sk factors for these injuries, emphasizing the female athlete triad. (C) 20 01 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.