Injury Prevention Strategies in Female Football Players: Addressing Sex-Specific Risks
There has been rapid growth in women’s football worldwide; however, research on injury prevention strategies and physiological considerations specific to female athletes remains insufficient. Women’s football has experienced an increase in injury prevalence, despite being underrepresented in sports...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Sports |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/2/39 |
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| author | George John Ameen AlNadwi Tiffany Georges Abi Antoun Ildus I. Ahmetov |
| author_facet | George John Ameen AlNadwi Tiffany Georges Abi Antoun Ildus I. Ahmetov |
| author_sort | George John |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There has been rapid growth in women’s football worldwide; however, research on injury prevention strategies and physiological considerations specific to female athletes remains insufficient. Women’s football has experienced an increase in injury prevalence, despite being underrepresented in sports literature, with less than 25% of research focused on this demographic. The incidence of injuries, particularly among young elite female footballers, is notably high, impacting long-term health outcomes such as osteoarthritis and contributing to shorter playing careers. Certain injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures, occur at significantly higher rates in women compared to men, underscoring sex-specific risk factors that must be addressed in injury prevention programs (IPPs). This narrative review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of IPPs tailored for female football players and to address their heightened susceptibility to injuries compared to males. Research studies and review articles were identified using a literature search of the PubMed, SportDiscus, and Google Scholar databases from 1990 to December 2024. Biological factors, including hormonal influences—such as increased ACL laxity during the menstrual cycle—and musculoskeletal differences, such as muscle strength imbalances, reduced joint stability, and hip weakness, significantly contribute to this increased risk. Despite the existence of injury prevention protocols like FIFA 11+, their consistent application and adaptation to meet the unique needs of female footballers remain limited. In addition to physical injuries, mental health is a critical concern. Female football players exhibit higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to their male counterparts, influenced by factors such as injury-related stress and menstrual cycle variations. In conclusion, the growing participation of women in football highlights the urgent need for research and implementation of injury prevention strategies specifically tailored to female players. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-52d94693c8554b1ea9b4c59df6164ce6 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2075-4663 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sports |
| spelling | doaj-art-52d94693c8554b1ea9b4c59df6164ce62025-08-20T03:12:12ZengMDPI AGSports2075-46632025-02-011323910.3390/sports13020039Injury Prevention Strategies in Female Football Players: Addressing Sex-Specific RisksGeorge John0Ameen AlNadwi1Tiffany Georges Abi Antoun2Ildus I. Ahmetov3Transform Specialist Medical Centre, Dubai 119190, United Arab EmiratesTransform Specialist Medical Centre, Dubai 119190, United Arab EmiratesTransform Specialist Medical Centre, Dubai 119190, United Arab EmiratesLaboratory of Genetics of Aging and Longevity, Kazan State Medical University, 420012 Kazan, RussiaThere has been rapid growth in women’s football worldwide; however, research on injury prevention strategies and physiological considerations specific to female athletes remains insufficient. Women’s football has experienced an increase in injury prevalence, despite being underrepresented in sports literature, with less than 25% of research focused on this demographic. The incidence of injuries, particularly among young elite female footballers, is notably high, impacting long-term health outcomes such as osteoarthritis and contributing to shorter playing careers. Certain injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures, occur at significantly higher rates in women compared to men, underscoring sex-specific risk factors that must be addressed in injury prevention programs (IPPs). This narrative review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of IPPs tailored for female football players and to address their heightened susceptibility to injuries compared to males. Research studies and review articles were identified using a literature search of the PubMed, SportDiscus, and Google Scholar databases from 1990 to December 2024. Biological factors, including hormonal influences—such as increased ACL laxity during the menstrual cycle—and musculoskeletal differences, such as muscle strength imbalances, reduced joint stability, and hip weakness, significantly contribute to this increased risk. Despite the existence of injury prevention protocols like FIFA 11+, their consistent application and adaptation to meet the unique needs of female footballers remain limited. In addition to physical injuries, mental health is a critical concern. Female football players exhibit higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to their male counterparts, influenced by factors such as injury-related stress and menstrual cycle variations. In conclusion, the growing participation of women in football highlights the urgent need for research and implementation of injury prevention strategies specifically tailored to female players.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/2/39female athletessoccerFIFA 11+injuriesACLmenstrual cycle |
| spellingShingle | George John Ameen AlNadwi Tiffany Georges Abi Antoun Ildus I. Ahmetov Injury Prevention Strategies in Female Football Players: Addressing Sex-Specific Risks Sports female athletes soccer FIFA 11+ injuries ACL menstrual cycle |
| title | Injury Prevention Strategies in Female Football Players: Addressing Sex-Specific Risks |
| title_full | Injury Prevention Strategies in Female Football Players: Addressing Sex-Specific Risks |
| title_fullStr | Injury Prevention Strategies in Female Football Players: Addressing Sex-Specific Risks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Injury Prevention Strategies in Female Football Players: Addressing Sex-Specific Risks |
| title_short | Injury Prevention Strategies in Female Football Players: Addressing Sex-Specific Risks |
| title_sort | injury prevention strategies in female football players addressing sex specific risks |
| topic | female athletes soccer FIFA 11+ injuries ACL menstrual cycle |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/2/39 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT georgejohn injurypreventionstrategiesinfemalefootballplayersaddressingsexspecificrisks AT ameenalnadwi injurypreventionstrategiesinfemalefootballplayersaddressingsexspecificrisks AT tiffanygeorgesabiantoun injurypreventionstrategiesinfemalefootballplayersaddressingsexspecificrisks AT ildusiahmetov injurypreventionstrategiesinfemalefootballplayersaddressingsexspecificrisks |