Sex Differences in Common Sports Injuries.
Cindy Y Lin, Ellen Casey, Daniel C Herman and 2 others
PMID 29550413WHAT IT FOUND
Female athletes have higher reported risk for bone stress, ACL, and concussion, with different recovery patterns.
Therapists should target movement, strength, and energy availability, but sex alone should not dictate treatment.
Key findings
01Female athletes appear at higher risk for bone stress injuries, and prior injury plus inadequate energy availability are important risk factors.
02Female basketball and soccer athletes are 2 to 8 times more likely to sustain an ACL injury, and FIFA 11+ evidence is less robust for females.
03Female athletes may report more concussion symptoms and have longer recovery, but differences are confounded by reporting behaviour.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
This is a narrative review based on a limited PubMed search, so it does not prove cause or treatment effect. Sex differences in concussion are confounded by higher reporting in females and nondisclosure differences. The paper mostly describes associations from cited studies, not outcomes of a single trial. Prevention evidence is less robust for female athletes because many reviewed studies included males. Male-specific risk factors and biomechanics are less well described.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that being female causes these injuries or that sex-specific treatment has been proven. The review reports associations, and some prevention evidence is based mainly on male athletes. Several sex differences are confounded by reporting behaviour.