For the Unique Challenges of Female Patients
"Female athletes have unique physical, nutritional and hormonal needs compared to their male counterparts," explains Brian J. Sennett, MD, Vice Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
The Penn Center for the Female Athlete was developed to address the clinical challenges of female athletes and active women of all ages. As the first and only center of its kind in the region, the Center is designed to uncover the underlying causes of injuries, in addition to treating the injuries themselves.
High-level, Multidisciplinary Teams
Female athletes are at increased risk for a variety of injuries and conditions, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and stress fractures due to several anatomical, biomechanical, endocrinological and nutritional factors. By addressing these factors with a multidisciplinary approach, the Penn team is able to optimize care and rehabilitation for female patients, and help them to prevent future injury.
That’s why the Penn Center for the Female Athlete clinical team is comprised of sports medicine physicians, endocrinologists, gynecologists, nutritionists, and other specialized clinicians.
Increased Risk for ACL Tears
One of the most significant injuries that women are at higher risk for are anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears.
Due a combination of anatomical, hormonal and biomechanical factors, women jump and land differently from men, increasing their risk for ACL injury. Women are six to eight times more likely than men to sustain an ACL injury.
A number of factors contribute to this statistic: Women have comparatively less musculature than their male counterparts, and can also have loose ligaments caused by hormonal differences — both of which can result in suboptimal support for the knee. The female pelvis is also wider than the male pelvis, which can cause alignment issues that increase stress on the knees.
At the Penn Center for the Female Athlete, all of these factors are considered when determining both the care plan to repair the existing injury and how to correct any contributing biomechanical or endocrine factors. During this process, the team evaluates the entire athlete’s body, as there is an increased risk in not just reinjuring the affected leg, but also in sustaining an ACL tear in the opposite knee or other related injuries in the future, if these factors are not addressed.
Female Athlete Triad: The Role of Nutritional and Endocrine Function in Injury
“In women, musculoskeletal injury and recovery may be related to their nutritional status,” explains Kate Temme, MD, CAQSM, Director of the Penn Center for the Female Athlete and Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Orthopaedic Surgery. “Some athletes suffer from the Female Athlete Triad; a syndrome of three interrelated conditions including nutritional status, menstrual function, and bone health.”
When females do not eat the proper balance and quantity of food to support both their sport and their physiological functions, bone growth, metabolism, and reproductive function are negatively affected. Side effects may include infrequent or absent menstrual cycles (due to low estrogen levels), and stress fractures due to low bone density caused by insufficient estrogen and nutrition. If not treated, the female triad can have serious—potentially lifelong—health consequences.
At the Forefront of Female Sports Medicine Care
Very few centers across the country offer the specialized, female-focused clinical care that is available at the Penn Center for the Female Athlete.
Research through the Penn Center for the Female Athlete is robust and includes NIH-sponsored studies and those related to the musculoskeletal health of women throughout their lifespan.
The Center’s physicians are spearheading surgical, clinical and biomechanical breakthroughs, and are deeply dedicated to understanding, treating, rehabilitating and preventing female-specific injuries.