Biomechanical Considerations in Female Players

Female athletes have been shown to exhibit greater knee abduction at initial ground contact and less knee flexion during the stance phase of change of direction tasks compared to their male counterparts. This, in addition to the less hip internal rotation and abduction at initial contact and reduced hip flexion during the stance phase, puts greater strain on the knee joint and increases the risk of injury (Donelon et al., 2024). This highlights the importance of correct change of direction mechanics and training these mechanics in both closed and open situations throughout training so that female athletes can change direction efficiently and safely.