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 MAY 15, 2002 Optimal Training for Women Athletes Women athletes, from elite to recreational, young to old, can distinguish themselves and compete in major sports, if provided the optimal ways to train, says Bert Mandelbaum, MD, chief medical officer of U.S. World Cup 1999, which was the largest women's sporting event in history. "Whether it's basketball, soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, tennis, skiing, or gymnastics, women have proven their athletic prowess," he says. But as women have become more involved in sports, they have also suffered more sports injuries. The increasing interest in sports puts more women at greater risk for injury, particularly in such sports as soccer and skiing. A woman's anatomy and biomechanics are slightly different than a man's -- women tend to have wider hips, lighter bones, and less muscle to support their more mobile joints. This predisposes them to overuse injuries of the legs, knees, and feet. Women's Sports Injuries "Women can train as hard, if not harder, than men, but they are more susceptible to stress fractures in the feet and legs, and arthritis in the knee," says Mandelbaum. Women are also more prone to what's known as the female athlete triad, a combination of eating disorders, lowered estrogen concentrations, and bone damage through osteoporosis. Runner's knee (chondromalacia patella) is much more common among women than men because of a wider pelvis, which makes the angle between the thigh and the calf sharper. Dislocated kneecaps are also more common. The groove that the kneecap rides in is much shallower in women than men, which means the kneecap has less lateral stability. Tennis elbow is usually associated with lack of forearm strength, and women who play mixed doubles are at increased risk. When the ball comes at a woman with more force than she is used to, the shock of the ball hitting the racquet is transmitted up through her forearm. Since the ball is coming so fast, her weight is typically back and she is late getting her racquet head around. Women athletes also have more problems with incontinence. About one-third of women experience leaking of urine from the bladder during running or high-impact aerobics. The jarring shakes urine out of the bladder. A major problem among women who are ultra-slim and who exercise heavily is amenorrhea, or disruption of the normal menstrual cycle. This is seen particularly among long-distance runners and triathletes. Preventing Injury, Enhancing Performance To prevent injury and enhance performance, Mandelbaum stresses quality over quantity training, and urges women to spend more time cross-training. Besides running, the World Cup soccer players include weight training, stretching, plyometrics (jump training) and proprioception (balance) training into their workouts. For recreational athletes, his recommended No. 1 activity is cycling. "It's good exercise that builds leg muscles and is kind to the joints," Mandelbaum says. Other high-intensity, low-impact workouts include swimming, water therapy (jogging in the deep end of a pool while wearing a flotation vest) and using a StairMaster or elliptical training machine. "Over the last 15 years, we've learned that top athletes need preseason training, maintenance programs, and cross-training. The recreational athlete can apply these same principles to her chosen sport," Mandelbaum says. |
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