In recent years, more girls have become like Molly and her friends by getting involved with sports.  Soccer, gymnastics, track and field, basketball and volleyball are some of the most popular activities.  In addition to helping maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle, participating in sports has a number of benefits. Girls who play sports tend to have a more positive image of their body, are less likely to become pregnant and have more confidence and self-esteem. They also learn skills, such as teamwork and discipline, which can help to build a solid foundation that lasts throughout their lives.

ACL injuries
While being an athlete has many benefits, there are a few risks.  As girls develop into young women, changes occur in body structure that may make them especially susceptible to some injuries.  For example, injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), one of the knee’s four main ligaments which helps to stabilize the knee, often require surgery and many months of recovery. 

“Teenage girls typically have different leg alignment and their muscle firing patterns when jumping and landing are different than teenage boys,” said John Deitch, M.D., a WellSpan Orthopedics surgeon who specializes in sports medicine.
According to Deitch, sports medicine physicians are looking closely at how injury prevention programs that teach young women how to jump and land safely affect the rate of ACL injuries in this age group.  The majority of ACL injuries occur when pivoting or landing from a jump.    

Other common injuries
“Patellofemoral pain or kneecap-related pain, stress fractures, ankle sprains and shoulder instability are other common sports injuries found in teen girls,” said Deitch.  “The three O’s—overuse, overload and overexertion—are major contributors to these injury patterns.”

• Kneecap pain frequently is seen in individuals who participate in running and jumping sports, as well as in non-active teens.  Some people can be genetically prone to kneecap problems.
• Stress fractures are common in running athletes and typically occur with a sudden increase in training or in athletes who trained while fatigued.
• Ankle sprains are very common for all ages. Some teen girls may have looser joints and their balance may not be as good, which can increase the risk of spraining an ankle.
• Shoulder instability is most common in swimmers, softball and volleyball players.  It can also be found in “loose-jointed” individuals who frequently use their arms in an overhead position. 

Rest, ice and physical therapy often are the first steps to help an injured athlete get back in the game. 
Injury prevention

“Some things that can be done to help prevent injury include maintaining an appropriate weight, remaining physically conditioned for the activity and increasing training gradually,” said Deitch.

Many injuries occur when the body is tired.  It’s important for athletes to listen to their body and to realize periods of active rest are very important during their training year.  

How WellSpan Can Help
WellSpan Rehabilitation and WellSpan Orthopedics offer programs to help teach physical conditioning and injury prevention to athletic teen girls.  For more information or to register, contact Mark Pintino, PT, at (717) 642-6077 in Gettysburg or Deanna Selby, athletic trainer, at (717) 741-8667 in York.

Should an injury occur, WellSpan Orthopedics has a skillful team of medical professionals who can help to assess the condition of a sports injury and make recommendations for treatment.  For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (717) 812-4090 in York or (717) 339-2500 in Gettysburg.