Major Issues of Women's Sports Medicine

By Monica Benson


As women begin exploring the world of sports and exercise their sports medicine has become more important. There are of course some risks involved, despite the benefits of physical activity, that women must pay close attention to certain issues. With the right information you can sometimes handle these on your own, but sometimes you need to talk with your doctor or sports medicine specialist. Following are a few sports and health related conditions that affect so many women that they are important to know.

Knee injuries are a common problem in sports, and women are especially susceptible to these. From girls playing on their school teams, to adult women going to the gym, women often suffer from ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries. While health experts aren't sure why, women are ten times more likely to have this type of injury than men, so it's extremely important to be aware of this vulnerability. If you have any knee pain, you should consult with a sports medicine specialist, and don't exercise until you're sure it's safe. When it comes to injuring your knees, it can cause additional damage if you keep playing or working out when there's a problem. You also want to follow the advice of your doctor, trainer or coach on how to move in a way that reduces the risk of knee injuries. Women start to lose muscle mass every year starting around their mid thirties.

During this time your metabolism also slows down. There are some unwanted consequences of this natural occurrence. Your body no longer burns as many calories during the average day which means you need to decrease your caloric intake and increase your activity to keep from gaining weight. This is why exercise is so important for any women in this stage of life. Doing this will counteract the effects of metabolism slowdowns and help you burn fat efficiently. You also need to watch your caloric intake especially where carbohydrates, sugars and fattening foods are concerned.

No matter what type of sports or exercise you're involved with, the type of footwear you choose can make a big difference when it comes to preventing injuries. Your shoes don't only protect and support your feet, but also your ankles, knees and lower back. When you run, for example, the type of shoes you wear will affect the impact your whole body receives.

That's why you should always wear shoes that not only fit you well, but that are made for the specific type of activity you're engaged in. Today, you can find athletic shoes made for running, basketball, tennis, soccer, etc. If you're active, you also have to replace your shoes frequently. Women's sports medicine issues, as we've seen in this article, cover a variety of conditions. If you're aware of these issues, you can often prevent problems from occurring in the first place. When something does happen, however, you don't have to get discouraged, as with the right medical advice you'll be back on track before you know it. Just don't try to rush things, as certain injuries and sports related conditions need time to heal.




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