Protect her knees - Exploring the role of football specific fatigue on dynamic knee stability in female youth football players
CONTACT: Dr Mark De Ste Croix (Lead) or Dr Rhodri Lloyd
Dr Mark De Ste Croix was awarded a highly competitive UEFA Research grant to explore the influence of fatigue on dynamic knee stability in female youth footballers. This work complements previous work exploring sex differences in dynamic knee stability in adults and the influence of soccer specific fatigue on knee stability in professional male academy players. Inherent in football is the higher risk of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and hamstring strain relative to most other sports. I
n football, between 70% and 90% of ACL injuries are reported to occur in non-contact situations and the incidence of non-contact ACL injury in females is reported to be 6-8 times greater than in males competing in the same sports. The main aim of the present study is to explore the effect of football specific fatigue on muscular and neuromuscular ability in female youth football players. Additionally this study will also explore whether muscle specific compensatory mechanisms are in place once young girls are fatigued that may help to reduce the relative risk of injury by helping to stabilise the knee.
If we can elucidate factors that may contribute to an increased injury risk in a fatigued state then we can start to target specific training programmes to increase dynamic knee stability in young female footballers. We can ‘Protect Her Knees’.
The project team is led by Dr Mark De Ste Croix and includes Dr Rhodri Lloyd, Dr Jon Oliver (UWIC). Miss Abigail Priestly has been awarded an MSc by Research scholarship to join the project team. Abi has played professional football for both Doncaster Belles and represented England U19 Ladies teams before injuring her own ACL. We are working closely in collaboration with Bristol Ladies Academy who play in the FA Womens Super League.