Body Composition Characteristics and Knee Injury Prevalence of NCAA Division I Women's Soccer and Lacrosse

Abstract

Body composition is directly linked to athletic performance and may influence injury risk and recovery. Female Division I soccer and lacrosse players are at a high risk for lower limb injuries specific to the knee joint throughout their competitive careers. Return to play criterion vary; evaluation of body composition may be an important element of clearance. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to characterize pre-season body composition and injury prevalence among female Division I soccer and lacrosse players using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). METHODS: Sixty Division I Women’s Soccer (n=27) and Lacrosse (n=33) athletes (Mean ± SD: age:19.8 ± 1.4 yrs, height, 167.3 ± 6.2 cm, weight, 64.9 ± 8.0 kg,) completed a whole body DEXA scan to determine fat mass (FM), percent body fat (%fat), lean mass (LM), segmental lean mass [right leg lean mass (RLM); left leg lean mass (LLM)], and bone mineral content (BMC). History of lower extremity injury (ACL and other knee injuries) throughout a career was self-reported using a validated questionnaire. Measurements were taken pre-season (August 2018). RESULTS: Soccer and lacrosse players combined (n=60) demonstrated the following body composition characteristics: total body FM (15.23 ± 4.8 kg), total body LM (46.96 ± 4.7 kg), and BMC (2.78 ±0 .3). There were significant differences between sports in %fat and segmental LM (LLM and RLM). Lacrosse athletes had higher %fat compared to soccer athletes: (mean difference [MD] ± SD: 2.5 ± 2.3%; p=0.034). Segmental leg LM (LLM, RLM) was higher in both legs of soccer athletes (LLM MD: 0.08 ± 0.54kg; p=0.004, RLM MD: 0.89 ± 5.2kg; p=0.001). In the full sample, there was no significant difference (p=0.139) between RLM and LLM. When evaluating injured vs. not injured athletes in the full sample, 45% of athletes reported a knee injury; %fat was significantly higher for athletes with no injury history (MD: 2.5±2.4%; p=0.046). CONCLUSIONS: These finding suggest that Division I soccer and lacrosse players who have returned to play following a lower extremity injury do not experience differences in segmental leg lean mass between the left and right leg. Based on the elite level of these teams, these data could portray optimal characteristics of successful athletes returned to play.