I hope you caught the New York Times magazine article on Sunday about girls and sports injuries, because if I could just soapbox for a sec, I think we all ought to be concerned about this. There's lots to digest in there, but one of the things that stands out: Some experts believe that in sports that both sexes play, girls rupture their A.C.L.s (i.e. blow out their knees) at rates as high as five times that of boys. Girls are also more likely to suffer concussions in sports like basketball. And as more girls play sports, we'd better figure out what to do about it.
Some possible reasons include the fact that girls have more estrogen, which makes ligaments more flexible and likely to tear; wider hips may lead to being 'knock-kneed'; and smaller necks can contribute to concussion rates. There's talk of how the mechanics of boys in running and jumping are better for the body, and that girls need to learn to "jump like a boy." One possible aid for the problem comes from a program designed to build strength through plyometric drills and lunges--but the initial study showing effectiveness needs to be replicated in a more scientific manner. I will say that I fail to see the harm in this program, and we may want to do some quick implementation. If my personal training client base is any indication, in ten years some of those girls will probably be handing money over to a trainer to learn the same movements.
But I just can't help but add that we can't allow kids to play one sport year-round. It's wearing out the bodies of all our young athletes. We have to get parents and coaches on board, and basically stop the practice before our children are hobbled at age thirty.
