Why so many injurys??

[LeftyLove]

I agree that conditioning your body and taking the time to prepare it for upcoming games/tournaments ect. plays a big part in the injuries, as does bad mechanics, but being a player myself i`ve, also seen alot of injuries come from just playing agressive and going after a ball that catches an unlucky bad hop, or a line drive that you just couldn`t get a glove on. I also know, having experienced it myself, that a player can recieve an injury from her/his everyday life but hold out on telling a coach about it because they fear the chance of not playing, the injury then worsens because or the wear and tear it takes during the game and becomes a major problem. Lack of communication on the field also causes a threat, many players forget that there`s eight other people on that field with them and three of them are usually going after the same ball they are, they have to talk and let each other no they`ve got it and that they need room to make the play.

 

[rowdy]

Talk to your state athletic associations at the high school level and they will tell you that more 14-16 old girls have serious knee injuries than boys. It has very little to do with conditioning and more do with the development of the muscles vs. the knees. After a year where we had several injuries (first time ever) I have gotten to the point where I have the girls wearing some extra support on the knees.

This is a serious issue, make sure you take the time to give an ounce of prevention.

 

[chinamigarden]

Talk to your state athletic associations at the high school level and they will tell you that more 14-16 old girls have serious knee injuries than boys. It has very little to do with conditioning and more do with the development of the muscles vs. the knees. After a year where we had several injuries (first time ever) I have gotten to the point where I have the girls wearing some extra support on the knees.

This is a serious issue, make sure you take the time to give an ounce of prevention.

Its more then muscle its the body design of wider hips and hormones, plus other differences. Braces are fine, but if mechanics of jumping and turning are not addressed the brace (extra support) only transfers the twist and stress to the ankle. Much like the use of ankle braces move the stresses to the knee.

 

[softballphreak]

Conditioning is extremely important! Because of the female differences it is even more important to strengthen the supporting muscles.

Injuries are bound to happen but the more strength the supporting muscles have the better they can help protect the athlete.

We do rigorous physical conditioning during the offseason. We haven't had a serious injury in the past several years. We don't do heavy weight training. We do jump ropes, agility ladders, plyometric boxes, weight sleds (body-pulled as well as hand-pulled), light weight training (bench press, squats, farmer's walks), body weight training (lunges, planks, burpees).

 

[SBFAMILY]

Medscape: Medscape Access My oldest is an RN and a runner. This kind of tells you be careful because you can over use anything. The web page is kind of interesting.

 

[softballdad#16]

INjuries amoung girls

I just read this book and it opened my eyes big time. As a coach I wanted to learn more about coaching girls sports and makng them competitive, but keeping them safe, too. ACL injuries in women and girls are rising at an alarming rate. Check it out it is a awesome book. Warrior Girls- Protecting our girls against the injury epidemic in womens sports by Michael Sokolove

 

[SBFAMILY]

Good post and yes women do have hormones that are active at least once a month that cause the muscles to relax. Ask any DR about what those hormones cause.That is why you must be careful playing sports or working out at that time.

Source: David Marshal, M.D .Medical Director, Sports Medicine Program Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Source: Physical Therapy Corner: Knee Injuries and the Female Athlete
Jump Training Techniques


My dd plays soccer , which is the worse sport for females . We started a few years ago with the PEP programs to avoid knee and ankle issues, that she was having . None since.

 

[chinamigarden]

I think that one knee article got reproduced one hundred times over the past decade. Sexist if you ask me. Researchers can create bias by what they choose to look at. The knee stuff has nothing to do with every sport. Look closely at what sport was tested and in what conditions.

In one situation, a trainer was using it to SELL expensive fitness classes to girls. So that is an ulterior motive, ie scare tactic, if you ask me.

Girls don't have hormones that make them land differently unless some great daddy coach comes and shows them how to land. I wonder then how the girls do so well in gymnastics landing? Geez. This stuff is right out of the 50s attitude.

Now if you want to say that boys start weightlifting and doing other leg drills at 14 and that helps knees and girls don't do that, well you have an argument. I see the baseball teams do more agility than girls teams.

But women do have hormones that cause the ligaments to loosen at certain times of the month, which can cause knees to be injured if the proper jumping and landing techniques are not used. I don't know about any great daddy coach, but I know Laura Ramus who was the trainer for the Shock of the WNBA. She says when how girls jump and train are modified to the specific differences in the sexes, those girls will have less injuries then girls who do not. She has trained many college and professional athletes and if she says its true, I have to believe her.
SHOCK: Girls Can Jump
google her name if you want some non sexist info.

BTW gymnasts are taught to land properly, basketball and volleyball players are typically not taught how to properly land. So right there you can see for yourself just how important technique is.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

Not many studies on girls. In that article, I also hate that they say women are knock kneed, ie,not naturally athletic: really?

Some women are knock kneed but that doesn't mean they can't be athletic. I had a soccer player who was knock kneed but who was also quite good (as was her mother). She ended up having to get knee surgery due to growth plate problems.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

I think that one knee article got reproduced one hundred times over the past decade. Sexist if you ask me. Researchers can create bias by what they choose to look at. The knee stuff has nothing to do with every sport. Look closely at what sport was tested and in what conditions.

In one situation, a trainer was using it to SELL expensive fitness classes to girls. So that is an ulterior motive, ie scare tactic, if you ask me.

Girls don't have hormones that make them land differently unless some great daddy coach comes and shows them how to land. I wonder then how the girls do so well in gymnastics landing? Geez. This stuff is right out of the 50s attitude.

Now if you want to say that boys start weightlifting and doing other leg drills at 14 and that helps knees and girls don't do that, well you have an argument. I see the baseball teams do more agility than girls teams.

I have two twin girl cousins who played soccer at the highest levels, including pro over in Europe for a bit. Both retired due to knee problems.

I had a mom on my daughter's soccer team who played soccer at a high level. I asked her to be an assistant coach. She declined because she can barely move after 5 surgeries on her right knee and 7 surgeries on her left knee.

While I love soccer and girls sports in general, I don't want my daughters to end up like that.