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 Why Are Women More Susceptible To Knee Pain?

Many of you must be aware that people who are actively involved in some kind of recreational activities or sports are more vulnerable to knee injuries than people in other professions. But most of you may not know that as compared to male athletes, their female counterparts’ face greater peril with respect to knee injuries in sports such as hockey, lacrosse, basketball and soccer.

There are many studies that have claimed that females are more exposed more to the threat of knee related injuries. One of these studies suggested that other than the differences between the distinctions between their skeletal and muscular structures, there could be other reasons too. The same research puts forward that women and men are quite different in the manner in which they send nerve impulses for controlling the muscle forces. The study also came to the conclusion that the way in which women move is quite different from the way men move. However, it is not known yet, why there is such a distinction.

But, due to some strange and unknown reason, females have these knee motions which are instrumental for making them more exposed to the risks of knee injuries. For instance, when a woman athlete lands from a big jump, her knee shows a tendency of collapsing in an inward direction that is higher than many men. In fact, the number of women suffering from ACL injuries as compared to men while they are into physical activities.

Woman suffers knee pain while running

Females are also found to be susceptible to severe ligament related injuries. It is the ligaments that hold the human body’s knee. So, these injuries can lead to chronic and serious problems in the kneecap and also to the cartilage responsible for cushioning the area lying in between lower and upper leg bones.

The reason for this is that in women, the pelvis width is such that they lead to sharper angles in the contact area between leg and thigh bones. Eventually, that results in problems related to knee alignment problems in women. As compared to men, ligaments in women are more lax. Moreover muscles supporting knees are weaker in women as opposed to men.

Runner’s knee problems

Certain biomechanical changes may result in Runner’s knee problem which is pain in one’s anterior knee. Contrary to the name, someone does not have to be a jumper or a runner to suffer from such kind of pain. There are several women who indulge in repetitive kind of activities like climbing up and down steps or hills, stooping too much, squatting who may suffer from such a condition. In fact, many women who suffer from knee pain are often compelled to take break from their work and have to stay away from sports or other recreational activities.

Role of physical therapy

The numbers of women who suffer from knee injuries due to osteoarthritis, ligament tears, strains or sprains are large irrespective of their ages. The recovery path for all such affected women begins by consulting medical experts who will study the background of such injuries and conduct thorough examination of knees. They will also ascertain the manner in which physical therapies can help in pain relief so that the knees can start functioning well once more.

Runner's knee and other types of knee joint pain can be quite debilitating. Not seeking treatment as quickly as possible can cause further damage to the joint. Protect your knee and health by visiting any of our Phoenix-area family medical clinics. We have staff trained in joint injections to help stabilize the knee while assessing the tendons near it. Learn more about Phoenix Family Medical today!