With increased female participation in sports, knee injuries are becoming more and more common in female athletes. Research conducted by the University of Kentucky Health Care System indicates that girls are four to eight times more likely to suffer an anterior cruciate ligament -- ACL -- knee injury than their male counterparts. ACL injuries are not the only injuries seen in girls playing sports. In addition to disrupting playing time, knee injuries can put girls at risk for knee pains that can last a lifetime. It is estimated that health care costs associated with girls' knee injuries reach an alarming $625 million each year, according to the UK Health Care System.
Knee Problems
Knee problems are very common in girls sports. Direct injuries or overuse injuries to the bones, cartilage and ligaments in the knee can cause pain, swelling, irritation and the inability to walk. Parapatellar knee pain syndrome causes mild pain around the knee caps, which usually increases during exercise. Osgood Schlatters Disease is common in adolescents and frequently causes a bump that is painful just below the knee. Osteochondritis dissecans is a condition in which bone fragments form around the knee causing pain. Girls can also sustain knee dislocations and fractures. Tears and sprains of the ligaments and cartilage surrounding the knee are also very common in girl athletes.
Hormones
Studies conducted by researchers at the University of Kentucky Health Care system indicate that hormonal changes in girl athletes may play a role in knee injuries. A report in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that female athletes ages 11 to 30 were more likely to sustain an ACL injury while participating in sports during their menstrual cycles. Estrogen may have an effect on the function of muscles and the strength of ligaments and tendons in the knees.
Individual Anatomy
Individual muscular imbalances, genetic makeup and structural alignment of a girl's body may also have an impact on sustaining knee injuries. Genetics can leave females with weaker collagen which can actually weaken the ligaments in the knees. Wide hips, knock knees, flat feet and thighs that turn inward can also contribute to ACL injuries. While these conditions can occur in males, girls are especially predisposed to wider hips and knock knees. Wide hips allow for easier childbirth later on in life. Knock knees -- also referred to as Blount's Disease -- are more common in girls, according to the Division of Pediatric Orthopaedics of Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital in New York. It is unknown why this disease occurs more frequently in girls.
Prevention
Knee problems that occur as the result of a direct hit cannot be prevented. However, knee pain and discomfort can be prevented. Girls should always where shoes that fit appropriately and replace their shoes when they become worn. Girls should also avoid over-training and use knee pads in sports such as volleyball. A review published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that female athletes participate in strength training, neuromuscular training and plyometric training. Girls should also participate in balance training. Teaching girls to safely pivot and land can help decrease injuries,even if this means retraining girls who participate in sports.
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