Sexism Goes Beyond The Workforce And Onto The Field (Knee Injuries)

When someone hobbles down the hall with crutches, it can be assumed that something is wrong. When you inquire about the injury, will you know what they mean by a meniscal tear, or a sprain? It all can be very confusing, but it can be learned. Sprains are stretched ligaments. In serious cases the ligament can be torn completely away from the bone. “Common knee sprains involve the ACL and MCL, but any knee ligament can be injured” (Shah). The ACL is also known as the anterior cruciate ligament. It spans from the front of the tibia (the larger shin bone) to the back of the femur (the thigh bone). Its purpose is to stabilize and prevent hyperextension (extending more than the regular range of motion). The MCL is best known

There are many reasons for injuries in soccer, especially amongst the girls. Among theses reason s are anatomical differences, hormones, and athletic tendencies. There is a notch at the end of the femur that allows the ACL to pass through and attach to the other side of the bone. This notch is called the intercondylar notch and women tend to have a narrower notch than men. This poses problems for women because the mobility of the ACL is decreased. When pivoting during play, it is easy to have the ACL pinched by the femur. “Pinching of the ACL in the knee can lead to rupture of the ligament” (Silberg). Women not only have a smaller intercondylar notch but they also have wider hips. Wider hips provide more stress to the ACL when turning or twisting the body. The quadriceps (or the Q-Angle) of an average woman is 16° as compared to the 12° males have. Injuries in which a woman twists could result in either a tear or a stretch in the ACL. “A twisting injury in a man’s knee may only stretch his ACL” (Silberg). Women have been frequently tested over the years and it has been discovered that women are more prone to injury even when they are ovulating. “Analysis showed that women had a significantly greater-than expected percentage of ACL injuries during their ovulatory phase” (Liddane). Womens’ athletic tendencies are sometimes different than males’. This can come from “females starting athletics at and older age that males […] when girls reach college they haven’t had as much time to develop the strength and flexibility needed to compete at a higher lever” (“Studies Show”). By not developing timely and properly, the muscle reaction time decreases. Fast-reacting muscles are key for preventing ACL injuries. The leg muscles keep the tibia in its proper place after landing a jump. Jumping is a high-impact way for most girls to get hurt. Females tend to land flat-footed after a jump. This brings unwanted stress on the knee stabilizer (the ACL) and the force could cause the ligament to tear. When landing after a leap, one should balance their weight by bending their knees and landing on the balls of the

Some topics in this essay:
Grantham Games, Liddane Womens’, Elevation Tendonitis, , Silberg Women, Shah ACL, Strains Tendonitis, Shah Athlete, Soccer MLS, Watson Quadriceps, knee injuries, main cause, acl injuries, athletic tendencies, intercondylar notch, anterior cruciate ligament, anterior cruciate, anatomical differences, sprains strains, injuries leg, cruciate ligament,