Mystery still persists about why female soccer players suffer from cruciate ligament injuries at a greater rate than male players, and doctors and coaches have differing opinions about the reason for this rate, which makes the probability of a female soccer player suffering from cruciate ligament injuries being 5 to 8 times greater than that of a man.
A newspaper spottedGuardianIn a report, the British had several opinions, but did not agree on a single reason or explanation. There is talk about gender bias in sports in general in favor of men, as they are provided with better environments, fields, and equipment compared to women, while the other explanation indicates that women’s physical structure and nature, behind its highest rate of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.
An injury to the cruciate ligament in the knee causes the player to be absent for a period of no less than 6 months, as he or she undergoes surgery and then begins the rehabilitation stages, which may make the football season almost over for whoever is exposed to the injury.
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Doctor Juan Carlos Munlo performed surgeries on cruciate ligament injuries for the Spanish Golden Ball player, Alexia Botia, and the young Barcelona and Spanish national team player, Gavi, along with a number of other prominent players.
Monlo told the Guardian that he believes women are more susceptible to ACL injuries because of their physical makeup.
He explained: “These injuries are common in sports that require players to stop suddenly while rotating their bodies. Women not only have a wider pelvis, but their legs are straighter, which makes them more vulnerable to this type of injury, especially when they land on the ground after jumping.”
He also pointed out that there is an effect of the menstrual cycle, explaining that during it “there is a rise and fall in hormones, which causes ligaments to relax and makes injury more likely.”
But there are those who believe that the matter is not related to the physical composition and nature of women, but rather there are social issues that play a role as well.
In this regard, Joan Parsons, professor of the Department of Physical Therapy at the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Manitoba in Canada, indicated that she rejects such an approach, and said: “For hundreds of years, we have been fighting this medical belief that places the blame on women’s biology.”
The professor, who co-authored a study on the role of sexism in cruciate ligament injuries, continued: “We are not ruling out biology, but we are saying that the surrounding environment plays a role. There is a clear impact of sexism at all levels.”
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The fitness coach for the women’s first team at Esportio Europe Club in Barcelona, Lucia Martinez, supported this opinion and said: “If we look at the children in the schoolyard at break time, how many girls are playing football?”
She continued, “Girls practice sports to a lesser extent than their male peers, before they suddenly decide to switch to playing football. This represents a problem. Boys have an advantage that lies precisely in being encouraged all the time to play sports, unlike girls.”
Martinez stressed that the matter is not related to physical fitness, “but rather an awareness that comes from playing from an early age,” adding: “Most cruciate ligament injuries for men and women do not occur due to contact, but due to inappropriate movements that are often due to sudden changes in the direction of play or landing.” Bad after jumping.
Monlo pointed to other elements besides “biology”, such as the quality of the fields, the types of shoes, and the increased pressure on female players in light of the growing popularity of women’s football.
The professor at the Department of Health at the University of Bath confirmed: “I would say that sexism, not sex, is the main factor in infection. Moving away from focusing on the pelvic bone and hormones can help us understand why women are more susceptible to infections, and we can start to prevent more effectively.”