There are
many theories and a vast medical and scientific literature exploring why girls
who play sports experience more ACL injuries than boys. A recently published review in the journal Sports Medicine authored by researchers
from the University of Wollongong in Australia focused on
changes in the relative strength of hamstring and quadriceps muscle at the time
of puberty. The evidence suggests that in
girls during
puberty the growth in size and strength of the hamstring muscle group seems to
lag behind that of the quadriceps muscle group. This lag is not present in
boys.
These observations have been made from retrospective studies (looking
backwards at injuries) and scientists put the highest value on prospective
studies (which look forward) in order to avoid bias. However, the evidence seems strong enough to
suggest that training which develops a greater balance between the hamstrings
and quadriceps might be useful as a component of programs to help avoid ACL
injuries in girls at puberty.
Read more about this review here.
