New research identifies major differences in hamstring injuries in male and female footballers
New research from Isokinetic, London’s leading clinic for injury prevention, treatment and rehabilitation shows that professional female footballers sustain more hamstring injuries through indirect contact and kicking in comparison to their male counterparts. The study highlights the need for better understanding of the prevention and treatment of injuries in women’s football.
The study analysed a total of 129 severe hamstring injuries using video analysis by some of Europe’s leading expert in sports medicine. It showed that female players had a higher proportion of indirect contact, running and kicking injuries and a lower proportion of non-contact and stretch-type injuries than males.
The new peer reviewed study, A comparative video analysis of hamstring injuries mechanism and situational pattern in men’s and women’s football (soccer) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38881374/ concludes that; “understanding injury patterns can inform tailored prevention programs, considering sex-specific differences.”
Dr Matthew Stride, Isokinetic Sports Doctor and former Club Doctor, Brentford FC, said; “This is an important study. It has provided a degree of analysis to the pattern and biomechanics of how hamstring injury occurs but also identifies key differences between genders and how injury is sustained. Women had a high proportion of indirect contact and running and kicking injuries and if we can understand these injuries better, then we can tailor these prevention plans and techniques as the women’s game grows. There is massive potential to increase conditioning in female players to mitigate these injuries.”
A severe hamstring injury is graded as a player missing 28 days of training or play. The range varies from discomfort to the point where you are unable to walk and is known as a spectrum injury. There is a large opportunity to better condition these female footballers to decrease likelihood of hamstring injury.
The research identifies four patterns in the way hamstring injuries are sustained:
1. Indirect contact injury i.e. Running – higher instance in women
2. Sprint type injury
3. Stretch type injury
4. Kicking type injury – higher instance in women
Dr Stride continues: “It has shown that the vast majority of the injuries in women come from indirect contact; that is the slight contact of trunk and pelvis. Women are more flexible but may be becoming less flexible the more that they are conditioned. Female players may be increasing the strength of the quads, and as women tend to have more of anterior pelvic tilt therefore the hamstring will be under more of a stretch. It could be that female players are getting tighter and more dominant through their quads and less through their hamstrings.”
Andrea Tartaglia, Managing Director, Isokinetic London, said; “The more and more data we get and the more analysis helps us to tailor treatment and help to improve injury prevention. Hamstring injuries are on the rise across the board. All players should be as fit as possible and prevention and minimise risk. Muscle fibre types and muscle strength can be modified as a result of change and conditioning. There are certain intervention strategies that can mitigate this. As a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, we see a different range of players, from recreational to professionals.”
Isokinetic believes that exercise is medicine, treating the whole person in a unique environment to optimise healing and positive change. Trusted by FIFA as a global Centre of Excellence, Isokinetic are organisers of the world’s most renowned Isokinetic Football Conference (27th – 29th May 2023). Isokinetic London has been at the heart of London’s Harley Street area for a decade and comes out of a 35-year heritage to offer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of sports and orthopaedics injuries. The unique pathway is meticulously tailored to patient recovery. From welcome reception, appointment making, and treatment, everything is geared to the individual patient whether treating an elite athlete preparing for competition or a person experiencing a degenerative condition like osteoarthritis.
Featured Photo by Jeffrey F Lin on Unsplash.