Training programmes for young males putting female athletes at risk
5 February 2010
Training programmes based on research in young men may be contributing to a growing number of injuries among female athletes, a Canadian expert is warning (Canadian Sport for Life, 2010).
Across a range of sports, female athletes have 2- to 6-times greater risk of musculoskeletal injuries and other medical conditions, said exercise physiologist Dr Vicki Harber (PhD), from the University of Alberta, Canada.
The most common injuries sustained by female athletes include injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (one of the 4 major ligaments in the knee), patellofemoral joint (part of the knee joint) and shoulder. The medical conditions they experienced included disordered eating, menstrual cycle disruption (irregular periods) and impaired bone mineral health, Dr Harber found after conducting a literature review.
“Much of our understanding about training programmes… [has] been taken from research studies using young adult white males,” she said.
“The results of these studies have then been directly applied to female athletes, regardless of age.”
Last Reviewed: 05 February 2010
- 1. Canadian Sport for Life, 2010. http://www.canadiansportforlife.ca/
