Patient Information Resources


Orthogate
1089 Spadina Road
Toronto, AL M5N 2M7
Ph: 416-483-2654
Fax: 416-483-2654
christian@orthogate.com






Ankle
Child Orthopedics
Elbow
Foot
General
Hand
Hip
Knee
Shoulder
Spine - Cervical
Spine - Lumbar
Spine - Thoracic
Wrist

View Web RX

« Back

I'm the coach for a girls' high school basketball. As we get ready for the next season, what's the latest on these ACL injuries girls seem susceptible to?

Just as you already know, it's clear that knee injuries are problematic for female athletes. In particular, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are common. Rehab and recovery from such an injury can put a player on the bench for an entire season. Scientists at human movement and biomechanic research laboratories continue to study this problem. They start with cadavers (knees preserved after death for study) and examine the effect of load, torque, and alignment on movement of the knee. Then they study the spring, laxity, and stiffness qualities of human male versus female knees under different conditions. They know that there are differences in alignment. These are important factors. But they also know that there's a sex-difference in how stiff the joint is. This kind of stiffness isn't what we refer to as we get older. This quality is the response of the joint to loads, especially twisting or side-to-side force. The muscles around the knee tighten up to prevent joint displacement and thereby prevent ligament damage. Men seem to have a stable level of stiffness. No matter how much load is applied (small to large), the joint doesn't give. But women seem to have variable stiffness. Low loads respond with less stiffness than higher loads. This is okay when the load increases gradually. But it becomes a problem when there's a sudden shift in load. The knee stiffness doesn't increase quickly enough to prevent injury. How to respond to this in practice remains to be seen. As more information about differences between male and female athletes is collected, practical suggestions may be easier to make.

References:

« Back





*Disclaimer:*The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.


All content provided by eORTHOPOD® is a registered trademark of Mosaic Medical Group, L.L.C.. Content is the sole property of Mosaic Medical Group, LLC and used herein by permission.