title: The female athlete.
abstract: Over time, women have become more extensively involved in athletic programs. The female athlete presents a unique challenge to sports medicine in general. Although specific types of injuries are the same as in the male athlete, the female athlete is at higher risk for some of these injuries. Injuries may be sport specific, but gender-related injuries are also related to morphologic and physiologic differences between the male and female athlete. This article reviews some of the differences between the male and female athlete and focuses on a few prominent injuries or risks related specifically to the woman athlete.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Boles
authors.forename: Cristin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000503:physiopathology; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001175:Arthrography / Q000379:methods; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D053716:Female Athlete Triad Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D046788:Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods