Football, Soccer

Generally men have a higher muscle to fat ratio than women which is just one reason why their bodies are able to better tolerate the rigours of contact sports, such as football. The naturally higher level of testosterone in males adds muscle for greater strength, while girls, with a higher level of estrogen are usually more flexible which makes their ligaments more supple. While an advantage in some sports, this increased flexibility puts women at a higher injury risk in football since their lower muscle to fat ratio is less able to keep their joints in a stable, safe position.

Women must also train much harder to obtain similar physical strength, an advantage that men enjoy naturally. This extra wear & tear further puts women's bodies at risk of injuries, such as ruptured anterior cruciate ligaments in their knees.

Women also move differently to men, in a more upright & less flexed position which can increase strain during manouvres like quick changes of direction, landing from jumps & body contact. The difference in woman's hip design may also be another risk factor.

As for prevention, women need to accept their bodies are naturally different to men & understand how this impacts upon them when they choose to play football. Cross-training is the best option. Swimming, a non-weight-bearing exercise, strenthens muscles without over straining hip/knee joints. Warming up correctly before training & using compressive joint supports to retain correct position of knee/ankle joints is essential.

Diet is vital, particularly from a very young age. Medical research shows, even in male footballers, more injuries now than in previous generations due to a poorer quality diet and less physical activity. This means our bodies are less robust, something of great concern. You can find out more information from http://www.thermomedic.com/sports.html about sporting injury.

Obtaining good medical attention & allowing adequate rest following any injury is a vital, yet overlooked issue. As a coach you can positively reinforce all these issues upon your players. Consider employing a team sports physiotherapist to individually assess each player for optimum performance & injury prevention.