Female Football Research Articles

Symbolic power of sports journalists as challenged by external recognition of women’s sports performance

This study examines journalists’ working experiences to understand how they hinder the recognition of female footballers’ performances. It relies on 16 semi-structured interviews with Swiss sports journalists on Swiss French-speaking television. Guided by Pierre Bourdieu’s theory, the study shows that advancements in the recognition of women’s football are promoted by a combination of external actors’ economic and political powers, while hindrances arise from internal factors within sports journalism. The embodied norms, routines and professional practices of journalists – that define performance as physical capital and naturalize hierarchies between women’s and men’s football – are disrupted by the credit (i.e. symbolic capital) given to women’s football by the Swiss football league and sponsors for political and economic reasons. This specific case of football enhances our understanding of the cultural and social factors that hinder the recognition and appreciation of performances by women in sports. Further, the study largely highlights how texts and their symbolic power are embedded in the social conditions of information production.

Injury Incidence, Severity, and Type Across the Menstrual Cycle in Female Footballers: A Prospective Three Season Cohort Study.

The aim of the study was to assess the influence of menstrual cycle phase on injury incidence, severity, and type in elite female professional footballers over three seasons. Time-loss injuries and menstrual cycle data were prospectively recorded for 26 elite female football players across three seasons. The menstrual cycle was categorized into four phases using a standardized model: menstruation (phase 1; P1), remainder of follicular phase (phase 2; P2), early luteal (phase 3; P3), and premenstrual phase (phase 4; P4). Injury incidence rates (IIR) and ratios (IIRR) were calculated for overall injuries, injury severity, type, contact vs noncontact, and game/training. A total of 593 cycles across 13,390 d were tracked during the study, and 74 injuries from 26 players were eligible for analysis. When comparing IIR between phases (reference: P1), overall injury rates were highest in P4 (IIRR, 2.30 (95% confidence interval, 0.99-5.34; P = 0.05)). When examining rates by injury severity and type, IIR values were also highest in P4 for ≤7 d' time-loss (4.40 (0.93-20.76; P = 0.06)), muscle-specific (6.07 (1.34-27.43; P = 0.02)), and noncontact (3.05 (1.10-8.50; P = 0.03)) injuries. Muscle-specific (IIRR P3/P1, 5.07 (1.16-22.07; P = 0.03)) and ≤7 d' time-loss (4.47 (1.01-19.68; P = 0.05)) injury risk was also significantly higher in P3. Muscle injuries were the most prevalent subtype ( n = 41). No anterior cruciate ligament injuries were recorded across the monitoring period. Injury risk was significantly elevated during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (P3 and P4) among elite female professional footballers. Further research is urgently needed to better understand the influence of the menstrual cycle on injury risk and to develop interventions to mitigate risk.

Mental ill-health in semi-elite women’s soccer in England: a mixed-methods approach

ABSTRACT Despite the growth in women’s soccer globally, there remains sparse research in this population, especially outside of elite levels and in relation to mental health. Limited research has examined the lived experiences of mental health within sub-elite women’s sport. Within this mixed-methods study, we aimed to provide insight into both the prevalence of mental ill-health and the complexities of how mental health is perceived, interpreted, and experienced in a unique and under-researched population. Footballers competing in tier three of the UK women’s leagues completed a survey to assess mental ill-health symptoms. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were completed with six players. A total of 103 players completed the questionnaire: 49.5% (n = 51) displayed distress symptoms (Kessler-10); 44.7% (n = 46) displayed depression symptoms (CES-D); 20.4% (n = 21) displayed anxiety symptoms (GAD-7); and 22.3% (n = 23) displayed eating disorder symptoms (SCOFF). Using reflexive thematic analysis three themes were developed: “Navigating Tier 3 women’s football: a balancing act”, “Football: is it good for my mental health?” and “Speaking out about my mental health: the confusion and the cost”. Overall, prevalence of symptoms associated with mental ill-health ranged from 20.4% to 49.5% among semi-elite female footballers, which are shaped by individual experiences. The female footballers reported athlete-specific risk factors for mental ill-health at the individual level as well as the sporting environmental level. The findings and implications for sub-elite women’s soccer are discussed.

The Evolution of Physical Performance throughout an Entire Season in Female Football Players.

Research on the evolution of performance throughout a season in team sports is scarce and mainly focused on men's teams. Our aim in this study was to examine the seasonal variations in relevant indices of physical performance in female football players. Twenty-seven female football players were assessed at week 2 of the season (preseason, PS), week 7 (end of preseason, EP), week 24 (half-season, HS), and week 38 (end of season, ES). Similar to the most common used conditioning tests in football, testing sessions consisted of (1) vertical countermovement jump (CMJ); (2) 20 m running sprint (T20); (3) 25 m side-step cutting maneuver test (V-CUT); and (4) progressive loading test in the full-squat exercise (V1-LOAD). Participants followed their normal football training procedure, which consisted of three weekly training sessions and an official match, without any type of intervention. No significant time effects were observed for CMJ height (p = 0.29) and T20 (p = 0.11) throughout the season. However, significant time effects were found for V-CUT (p = 0.004) and V1-LOAD (p = 0.001). V-CUT performance significantly improved from HS to ES (p = 0.001). Significant increases were observed for V1-LOAD throughout the season: PS-HS (p = 0.009); PS-ES (p < 0.001); EP-ES (p < 0.001); and HS-ES (p = 0.009). These findings suggest that, over the course of the season, female football players experience an enhancement in muscle strength and change of direction ability. However, no discernible improvements were noted in sprinting and jumping capabilities during the same period.

Lower limb strength and training experience in elite and sub-elite female footballers

BACKGROUND: Strength differences between performance levels remain unclear in female football. Furthermore, the relationship between fulltime training and strength has been unexplored despite increased professionalisation in the sport. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this research were to examine knee flexor/extensor and hip adductor/abductor strength differences between elite and sub-elite female footballers, and then determine the relationship of strength performance to age, years of football experience (FE), and years of fulltime training (FTT). METHODS: 15 elite and 15 sub-elite professional female footballers were tested. The main outcomes were concentric isokinetic knee flexor and extensor peak moment at 60, 180, and 300∘/s, and isometric hip adductor (ADD) and abductor (ABD) force. RESULTS: The elite team had higher absolute (300∘/s: 47.13–49.33 Nm vs 37.33–38.93 Nm, p&lt; 0.05) and normalised (300∘/s: 0.76–0.80 Nm/kg vs 0.59–0.62 Nm/kg, p&lt; 0.05) knee flexor values, and higher normalised ADD (5.64–5.66 N/kg vs 4.98–5.05 N/kg, p&lt; 0.05) and ABD force (5.80–6.00 N/kg vs 5.26–5.39 N/kg, p&lt; 0.05), compared to the sub-elite team. Age, FE, and FTT were correlated to knee flexor values (r= 0.381–0.559, p&lt; 0.05). Additionally, FTT was correlated with normalised ADD and ABD force (r= 0.362–0.546, p&lt; 0.05). CONCLUSION: Sub-elite female footballers may require additional knee flexor and hip strengthening in order to make the step up to the elite level. Those who are younger or have low FTT may also be recommended additional lower limb strengthening ahead of joining a fulltime training environment.

Longitudinal development of physical, perceptual-cognitive and skill predictors of talent in academy and professional female football players

ABSTRACT Existing literature on talent development predominantly focuses on male athletes, with limited representation of female athletes. This study aims to address this gap by examining the long-term development of female football players in an elite club. Routine lab-based assessments were conducted on 238 athletes across six teams for 7 years to determine how physical, perceptual-cognitive, and skill performance predictors fluctuated with player age and developmental stage (sampling 9−11y, specializing 12−14y, investment 15−18y, and performance +18y). The developmental stage was a significant predictor of improved performance for each talent indicator (p < .001), with each consecutive stage significantly outperforming the previous stage in all domains with moderate to large effect sizes (0.07–0.40 ηp2). Improvement rate was higher in young adolescence (<15) and slower approaching adulthood (>18y). Playing position influenced performance scores on several physical and technical skill predictors (p ≤ .001), but not perceptual-cognitive ones (p ≥ .11). Players progressed continuously from the sampling to the performance stage, contradicting previously reported plateaus observed when athletes reached the investment stage. Benchmark data are provided across age and playing position to better understand what is required for successful participation at an elite level at varying age groups in female soccer.

Women's transnational migration through football: Possibilities, responsibilities, and respectability in Ghana

The growth of girls’ and women's football in Africa, coupled with increased professionalisation in Europe and the United States, has led to rising international migration of African female players. This trend reflects the longer standing culture of independent, transnational migration among African women since the late 1980s and of enlarged possibilities and responsibilities triggered by neoliberal reform across the continent. This article explores how these sporting, cultural and economic transformations have coalesced to influence the aspirations and agency of female youth and young women in Ghana. To do so, we draw on original data from ethnographic fieldwork in Ghana, Sweden and Denmark undertaken between 2015 and 2021. Our findings reveal that for ambitious, talented female footballers, transnational football migration is increasingly viewed as a speculative route to improve ones’ life chances and negotiate intergenerational responsibilities to family. Significantly, the article also illustrates that in seeking to produce this highly prized form of migration, they must carefully navigate gendered social norms and hierarchies related to ‘respectable’ career and life trajectories. The conclusion proposes a critical research agenda to explore the interplay between sporting opportunities, migration aspirations and diverse socioeconomic conditions in Africa.

Does a self-reported sleep duration reflect actigraphy reported sleep duration in female football players?

ABSTRACT Sleep is often compromised in female athletes, and the monitoring of female athletes' sleep is an important preventative and educational tool. With self-reporting of sleep common practice for athletes as part of a daily wellness assessment, there is a need to understand whether sleep indices are being reported accurately, and thus whether self-report data are useful. This study aimed to compare the agreement between self-reported and actigraphy reported sleep duration in female football players, with the intention of informing best practice for athlete monitoring. Twenty-two female footballers (mean age 19.5 ± 1.3 years) provided a daily self-report across 7 days, whilst also wearing an actigraph across the same testing period. Agreement between the two measures was assessed using Bland-Altman limits of agreement, with acceptable limits of agreement defined as <30 minutes. Results showed evident disagreement between the two methods, with a mean bias of −0.54 (32 min, 95% CI −0.66 to −0.43) and a potential disagreement range of over 2 h (Lower 95% limits of agreement −1.49 to upper 95% limits of agreement 0.40). Coaches using self-reported sleep durations as a monitoring tool for female footballers should interpret the results with caution and be aware of the potential for inaccuracies in this measure. As such, where possible, coaches should consider other methods of sleep monitoring, rather than solely relying on a self-report, to ensure they are operating with optimal practice within situational constraints.

Barriers to disengagement from an athletic career: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis with retired elite-level female footballers

Once the optimal age for achieving certain goals has passed and the investment in a goal is no longer possible, self-regulation theories claim that disengagement from the goal and re-engagement in alternative goals will contribute to adaptive development. The present study explored the barriers experienced by four retired female elite-level footballers when adapting to retirement in the long term. To achieve this, the study was designed according to the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Our findings suggest that the ex-athletes found it difficult to disengage from their career goals during their transitions out of elite sport and listed four main reasons for this: i) the fear of being forgotten; ii) the attempt to create a link for future involvement as future coaches; iii) the belief that as practitioners they enjoy a very rewarding role in terms of achievement; iv) the social pressure to continue practicing at an elite sporting level. These findings suggest athletes approaching retirement might benefit from support interventions to help prevent distress and to promote well-being during their transitions out of elite sport. Therefore, clubs and federations should encourage and foster the development of adequate career transition programs, to achieve a fairer environment and a better quality of life for the players. Keywords: career transitions; football; self-regulation; ex-athletes; retirement from sport; career disengagement En el contexto de la práctica deportiva, tan pronto como se pasa el período ideal para alcanzar ciertas metas y la inversión en una meta ya no es alcanzable, la desinversión en una determinada meta bloqueada y la reinversión en metas alternativas contribuirán a un desarrollo adaptativo, como argumentan las teorías de autorregulación. El objetivo del presente estudio fue explorar las principales barreras experimentadas por cuatro ex jugadoras de fútbol de élite durante su período de adaptación a largo plazo. En este sentido, el presente estudio se desarrolló de acuerdo con los principios del análisis fenomenológico interpretativo. Los resultados sugieren que los ex deportistas tuvieron dificultades para desprenderse de sus objetivos profesionales durante la transición a la retirada del deporte, habiendo enumerado cuatro razones principales para ello: i) el miedo a ser olvidados; ii) el intento de crear un vínculo para una futura implicación como futuras entrenadoras; iii) la creencia de que como practicantes disfrutan de un rol muy gratificante; iv) la presión social para seguir practicando a un nivel deportivo de élite. Estos resultados muestran que con el acercamiento de la edad de retiro, las atletas pueden beneficiarse de intervenciones psicológicas que ayuden a esta transición de carrera y que puedan evitar la existencia de altos niveles de estrés, promoviendo el bienestar durante estos cambios. Por lo tanto, se recomienda que tanto los clubes como las federaciones fomenten y promuevan el desarrollo de programas adecuados de transición de carrera, para lograr un marco justo y una mejor calidad de vida para los practicantes deportivos.&#x0D; &#x0D; Palabras clave: transición de carrera; fútbol; autorregulación; ex atletas; remodelación; desinversión de carrer No contexto da prática desportiva, assim que o período ideal para que os praticantes alcancem determinadas metas é ultrapassado e o investimento em um objetivo já não é passível de ser alcançado, o desinvestimento em determinado objetivo bloqueado e o reinvestimento em objetivos alternativos poderá contribuir para um desenvolvimento adaptativo, conforme sustentam as teorias da autorregulação. O presente estudo teve como propósito explorar as principais barreiras experienciadas por quatro ex-atletas de futebol de elite durante o seu período de adaptação a longo prazo. Para tal recorreu-se aos princípios da análise fenomenológica interpretativa. Os resultados sugerem que as ex-atletas apresentaram dificuldades em desinvestir dos objetivos de carreira durante a transição para a reforma da prática desportiva, tendo para tal elencado quatro razões principais: i) o medo de serem esquecidas; ii) a tentativa de criarem uma ligação para um futuro envolvimento enquanto futuras treinadoras; iii) a crença de que enquanto praticantes usufruem de um papel deveras gratificante em termos de realização; iv) a pressão social para continuarem a praticar ao nível do desporto de elite. Os resultados encontrados sugerem que, com a aproximação da idade da reforma, as atletas podem beneficiar de intervenções psicológicas que facilitem a transição de carreira e previnam elevados níveis de stresse, promovendo-se o bem-estar durante a respetiva transição. Deste modo, afigura-se recomendável que tanto clubes como federações encorajem e fomentem o desenvolvimento de programas adequados de transição de carreira, em nome de um mais justo enquadramento e de uma melhor qualidade de vida dos praticantes desportivos.&#x0D; &#x0D; Palavras-chave: transição de carreira; futebol; auto-regulação; ex-atletas; reforma; desinvestimento na carreira

Risk of Low Energy Availability in New Zealand National Team and U20 Female Football Representatives

Background: Rates of low energy availability (LEA) in female footballers range from 12% to 66%, studies are limited, and no research has yet looked at the prevalence of LEA in a cohort of international players. Due to the negative consequences of LEA, more research is needed for a thorough investigation into prevalence rates and the associated risk factors of LEA within international environments. Methods: Twenty-two members of the New Zealand under 20 (U20) and National Women’s football teams (20.8 ± 3.5 years) participated in this study. Participants completed an online questionnaire composed of five independent validated surveys to assess LEA risk (Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire), eating disorder risk (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire), sleep quality (Athlete Sleep Score Questionnaire), nutrition knowledge, (Abridged Sport Nutrition Questionnaire), and mood (Profile of Mood States Questionnaire). Results: 59.1% (n = 13) of participants were identified as being at risk of problematic LEA. Players reporting menstrual disturbances (amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea) were 2.25 times more likely to be at risk of LEA than those who did not report a menstrual disturbance. Menstrual status (R = −.46, p = .030) and Profile of Mood States Questionnaire (r = −.46, p = .032) were significantly and positively associated with risk of LEA (R = −.46, p = .030). Conclusions: A significant proportion (59.1%) of players in the New Zealand national and U20 female football team are at risk of LEA. The positive and predictive relationship observed between mood disturbances, menstrual status, and risk of LEA suggests that regular monitoring of mood and menstrual cycle health may be used for the early identification of problematic LEA in national-level female footballers in New Zealand.

Injury incidence and characteristics in adolescent female football players: A systematic review with meta-analysis of prospective studies.

To observe overall, training, and match injury incidence in female youth football. We also aimed to quantify the incidence of injuries by affected tissue and body location. The following databases were examined: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane and PEDro. Papers that reported overall injury incidence, training or match injury incidence were included. Additionally, studies had to be performed in adolescent female football players (13-19 years of age). The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the checklist of items that must be included in epidemiological football reports were used to assess methodological quality of the included articles. For the meta-analyses, a random effect model was used. A total of 13 studies were included. There were 2,333 injuries; incidence was higher during games (12.7/1000 h) compared to training sessions (2.3/1000 h). The injury match-to-training ratio was 5.8. The lower limbs were the region in which the greatest number of injuries occurred, with the ankle (1.2/1000 h) and knee (0.8/1000 h) having the most injuries. In relation to injured tissue, ligament injuries represented an incidence of 1.3/1000 h, followed by muscle injuries (0.9/1000 h). This study represents the first step towards the creation and implementation of preventative measures in female youth football. The results suggest that attention should be focused on ankle and knee injuries, since they are the most frequent and can lead to sport retirement in some cases depending on the severity.

Acute and Transient Match-Related Fatigue in University Female Footballers

This study aimed to examine the acute fatigue response experienced by female footballers during and after match-play. Twenty university footballers completed three trials of a countermovement jump on a force platform pre- and post-match-play (35 observations). External and internal loads were recorded during match-play via global positioning systems (GPS) and heart rate (HR), respectively. Match-play loads were split into thirds and analyzed via linear mixed model. Pre- and postjump metrics (n = 16) were analyzed using a paired samples t test. Significant decrements were observed between the first and final third for all external load metrics apart from sprint distance and accelerations (p &gt; .05). Relative concentric peak force (p = .035) was significantly increased postmatch, while a reduction was observed for relative concentric mean power (p = .034). The remaining 14 metrics did not display any significant changes (p &gt; .05). The stability of countermovement jump (CMJ) performance pre- to postmatch alongside the reductions within match support the notion of transient fatigue. Moreover, coaches can use this data (i.e., transient fatigue) to inform tactics in female football (i.e., substitutions) and conditioning regimes.

Evaluation and Quantifying the Difference between Male and Female Agility in Football Players: A Cross-sectional Pilot Study

Introduction: Football is an intermittent sport which requires agility as essential trait for player conditioning, selection and prevention of injury. Agility is a conditional motoric attribute classified as a locomotor skill combining both a muscular and cognitive component. Previous study, revealed that Illinois and T-test were most significant tests to evaluate agility. Aim: To evaluate and quantify the difference in agility between male and female footballers. Materials and Methods: Purposive sampling was used in this crosssectional study. 30 professional football players, aged between 18- 25 years with normal BMI and had atleast 3 years of systematic football training with 3-4 training sessions weekly and 8 hours of football training per week were included. Those players who had visual/hearing impairments, history of lower limb fractures, Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction and meniscectomy were excluded from the study. Illinois and T-test was used to access agility of football players. Normality of data was checked using ShapiroWilk test. Descriptive statistics in form of Mean±SD were used to find normative value and Independent T-test was utilised to quantify the difference. Results: Reference value of male and female player’s agility in T-test was 10.35±0.58 and 14.52±0.50 whereas for Illinois test it is 16.34±0.79 and 18.12±1.02 respectively. Independent T-test showed significant difference in male and female agility for both Illinois and T-test (p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Normative values are established for both genders. It is concluded that female players are clinically and statistically less agile when compared to male players (p-value &lt;0.001).

Analysing substitutions in recent World Cups and European Championships in male and female elite football - influence of new substitution rules.

Substitutions play a key role in modern football and can substantially affect the physical and overall performance of a team, and the recent substitution rule changes are worth investigating. This study explored the characteristics of substitutions, including different substitution rules, game results, sex, competition stages, tournaments and penalty shoot-outs success rates. We analysed data from a total of 3,738 substitutions from the last 10 years (2013-2023) of European Championships and World Cups, both men's and women's games. Non-parametric tests and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis with the significance level set at p < 0.05. With the 5-substitution rule, 48% more substitutions occurred compared to the 3-substitution rule (4.26 ± 1.07 vs. 2.87 ± 0.43, p < 0.05) with a slight increase in the average substitution time (70.6 ± 14.3 vs. 69.2 ± 14.6 min, p < 0.05), and 10% more substitutions in the men's game compared to the women's game (p < 0.05). The timing of the first substitution was slightly different in the knock-out stage compared to group stage (59.8 ± 14.7 vs. 57.2 ± 13.3 min, p < 0.05), and the timing for the winning team and drawing team was later than for the losing team (p < 0.05). A total of 13.2% goals were scored by substitutes, with no significant difference between the 5-substitution rule (15.9%) vs the 3-substition rule (12.5%) (p > 0.05). Interestingly, substitute players had a lower success rate in penalty shoot-out compared to starters (61 vs. 74%, p < 0.05). Additionally, substitute player goal scorers entered the pitch later (p < 0.05) in male games compared to female games and in knock-out stage games compared to group games. This study highlights the importance of substitution rules and timing in modern elite football matches. The timing of the first substitution, introduction of substitutes in knock-out stages, and a lower success rate of substitute players in penalty shoot-outs are crucial factors to consider. Coaches can use this information to make strategic substitution decisions to improve team performance.

Electrocardiographic and Echocardiographic Assessment of Young Black Female Footballers: Comparison with Sedentary Female Individuals

Electrocardiographic and Echocardiographic Assessment of Young Black Female Footballers: Comparison with Sedentary Female Individuals

Effect of Training Model on the Physical Condition of Young Female Football Players

The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of two training models—the traditional methodology and an alternative or nonlinear mixed methodology—on coordination, speed, and changes of direction (COD) in U-12 football players. The subjects were divided into two groups: a traditional group of 11 female players and a second group of 14 female players, which followed a mixed methodology. Ten training sessions of 30 min were carried out focusing on motor coordination and COD. The variables analyzed were motor coordination with the SportComp test, COD with the Modified Agility test, and the Suttle Sprint and Dribbling test, with and without the ball, and speed over 30 m, with and without the ball. Overall, improvements were obtained in the mixed training program, leading to significant improvements (p &lt; .05) in the variables of motor coordination, speed, and COD, with a large effect size. Therefore, coaches and physical trainers, taking into account that it causes greater benefits in the physical condition of female football players in training, than the traditional training program, can use the mixed training program.

The effect of electro-magnetic-energy-regulation therapy on subjective sleep among elite players in Norwegian women's football.

The current study investigated if Bio-Electro-Magnetic-Energy-Regulation (BEMER) therapy is affecting subjective sleep among a sample of 21 elite female football players in a Norwegian top series club. Subjective sleep was measured each day over a period of 273 consecutive days by using a smartphone application, PM Reporter Pro, which scheduled push messages to remind the participants to report sleep every morning. The study was conducted as a quasi-experimental design, with a control period before the introduction of BEMER therapy that lasted for 3 months, followed by an intervention period where BEMER therapy was used that lasted for 5 months. The collected data from the players in the control period served as their control compared to the data collected from the players in the intervention period. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) with False Discovery Rate adjusted p-values show that subjective sleep duration and subjective sleep quality are significantly reduced on game nights, both in the control period and in the experiment period. The results also show that subjective sleep duration and subjective sleep quality significantly increase in the experiment period compared to the control period. The findings indicate that BEMER therapy might serve as a tool to improve sleep.

Влияние фаз менструального цикла на частоту и характер травм у профессиональных футболисток

As is known, sport is accompanied by a critical level of physical load, which leads to a steady increase in injuries among athletes. However, sex differences in the risk of tendon and ligament injuries have been reported, with the relative risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture being 2 to 6 times higher in young female athletes compared to male athletes. This indicates that sex differences in the biomechanical properties of tendons are significant during the period of life when the sex hormonal profile is noticeably different in women and men. The purpose — to determine the influence of menstrual cycle phases on the frequency and nature of injuries in professional female football players. Material and methods. 31 athletes of the top division women’s youth team were examined, average age 19.6 ± 1.8. The menstrual cycle was divided into 3 phases: follicular phase (phase 1), ovulation (phase 2), luteal phase (phase 3). Injuries during the annual macrocycle were analyzed. All injuries were classified into muscle ones, injuries of the capsular-ligamentous apparatus, and bone injuries. Injury rates and ratios were calculated for the total number for each injury type. Statistical processing of the data was carried out using the statistical software package SPSS (v.18.0). The χ2 test and Fisher’s exact test were used to analyze the data. Differences were considered statistically significant at p &lt; 0.05. Results. Analysis was carried out for 267 cycles and 39 injuries in 31 players during one playing season. 43.6% of the total injuries occurred in the luteal phase, 46.2% in the follicular phase, and 2.6% in the ovulation phase. In the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, muscle injuries were more often recorded in female athletes — 75.0% of cases, while damage to the capsular-ligamentous apparatus in this phase was detected only in 33.3% (p = 0.003), and bone injuries were recorded in 50.0% (p = 0.037). Thus, muscle injuries in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle were statistically significantly more common. The incidence rates of capsular-ligamentous injuries (33.3%) and bone injuries (50.0%) were not statistically significantly different (p = 0.147). Conclusion. The most common injuries among young female football players were injuries to the capsular-ligamentous apparatus (48.7%), followed by muscle injuries (30.8%), while injuries to the capsular-ligamentous apparatus were most characteristic of the luteal phase, and muscle injuries predominated in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.

ASPETAR – Women’s Football (Summaries)

Summaries of: 1. “Female athlete health in women’s football” 2. “ACL rehabilitation in elite female footballers” 3. “Groin Pain in women’s football” 4. “Embracing women’s football growth at your club”.

Assessment of the Relationship Between Physical Performance and Percentage Change-of-Direction Deficit in Highly Trained Female Football Players.

Different studies indicate that female players in team sports such as soccer tend to have a lower change-of-direction (COD)deficit (CODD) than their male counterparts and that players who performed better in linear and curved sprints tended to have a worse CODD, suggesting that maximum speed does not equate to a faster COD. This study assessed how performance variables related to speed and jumping influence the variability of %CODD among adult highly trained female soccer players. Fifty-two highly trained female soccer players (age 23.1 [3.25]y; height 163.6 [5.49]cm; weight 59.7 [5.71]kg) participated in this study and performed 180COD, 40-m sprint, countermovement jump, and standing broad jump tests. Significant correlations were found between 180CODL, %CODDR, %CODDL, and between-limbs standing broad jump asymmetry (r = .28-.74). A very large correlation existed between %CODDR and %CODDL (r = .91). Regression analyses indicated a strong inverse relationship between the 10-m sprint time and %CODDR and %CODDL. No predictive models were found for 180COD in either limb. Differences in performance variables suchas 180CODR, 180CODL, and asymmetry %CODD were significant between the high- and low-%CODD groups, with moderate to large effect sizes. The present study suggests that specific physical-performance variables, particularly acceleration and unilateral horizontal jumping, are vital to improving COD in highly trained female soccer players, highlighting the need for specific training interventions.