Football & Other Sports Injuries Derby Clinic

Sports Injury and the Female Athlete

Analysis of the way in which male and females land and pivot whilst playing sport has shown that there is a difference between the sexes and how they control their knees. It has been proven that women tend to land with their legs in a slightly straighter position to men, coupled with the fact that women tend to have wider hips means that the female knee may buckle on landing, leading to injury such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Men, however, tend to land in a more powerful muscular squat position, which helps to keep the knee in line on landing and therefore protects and bears more of the impact.

The result of this kind of research means that if proper training and guidance on landing and jumping techniques is given to both male and female athletes, fewer anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries will occur. The basic principle to remember is to land with the knee forwards and not buckling sideways and if you are female, to try and remember to adopt a more squat position with the knees slightly apart.

Sport Injuries seen in our Derby Sports Clinic

There are many types of sports injuries and depending on which sport you participate in, will depend on the kind of injury you may be prone to. Within our Sports Clinic, we generally see ‘over-use’ injuries arising from endurance and low impact sports such as running, cycling and rowing. The most common sport injuries we deal with are usually related to football and rugby. This is usually because of the very nature of the sport, but also because these two sports are probably most widely played by a higher number of people. With football the injury tends to be due to twisting rather than because of a direct blow. Whereas in rugby, which is a contact sport, injuries sustained in this sport are commonly from the impact itself and so produce a different range of injuries than football.

The most common injuries that we tend to see are damage to the knee as a result of twisting or landing, these include injuries such as:

• Anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) tear
• Cartliage (meniscal) tear
• Ligament tear
• Dislocation of the patella

Please refer to our section on Knee Conditions for more details. Alternatively, you can always contact us direct and arrange to see Mr Geutjens or attend one of our Sports Clinics.

Treatment of Sport Injuries

It’s important that any suspected sporting injury is seen and treated by a qualified doctor or surgeon as soon after it has occurred as possible. Most sport injuries can be treated and full recovery is possible once a diagnosis has been given and a course of treatment prescribed. See our Procedures page for more details on specific sporting injuries and recommended treatment. But, please remember this information is for guidance purposes only and we would always recommend a full and proper examination prior to the commencement of any treatment by a qualified Knee Specialist Doctor. 

Repair of Rare and Difficult Muscle Injuries

The majority of sporting injuries are minor and given a bit of time for recovery, most people overcome their sports injury fairly quickly. However, for a few, more severe injuries can occur, especially in athletes and in particular football injuries can end a career. Mr Guido Geutjens is a longstanding Specialist Sports Doctor, who over the years has become known in particular as a Sports Surgeon who has particular surgical expertise in certain severe muscle injuries of the lower limb, such as complete hamstring tendon avulsions or quadriceps tend avulsions. Mr Geutjens has helped many people, including professional athletes and footballers, to overcome their sport injuries and continue with their sporting careers.

If you are experiencing problems with your knee, then a proper consultation with a qualified and experienced Knee Specialist is essential. If you would like to arrange to see Mr Geutjens, please contact us to arrange an appointment.