Effect of Athletic Activity on Hormone Levels in High School Female Athletes

This study employed a turning point analysis to document events that influence the development of athletic identities in female athletes transitioning into high school. All participants ( N = 28), between the ages of 14–15 years old, belonged to a competitive club soccer team located in the southwestern United States. Through an analysis of pre- and post-season interviews and bi-weekly video journal entries, data revealed several fragmenting turning point events related to participants’ athletic identity development. These fragmenting turning points paired with the communication theory of identity (CTI) framework highlighted three identity gaps: (a) athletic-relational, (b) athletic-communal, and (c) athletic-enacted. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed regarding turning points in relation to athletic identity development and gender disparities in sport participation.

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Preventive Neuromuscular Training for Young Female Athletes: Comparison of Coach and Athlete Compliance Rates

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-51.12.20 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

pp. 58-64 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Dai Sugimoto ◽

Carl G. Mattacola ◽

Heather M. Bush ◽

Staci M. Thomas ◽

Kim D. Barber Foss ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Middle School ◽

Female Athletes ◽

School Level ◽

Neuromuscular Training ◽

Control Group ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Soccer Teams ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Basketball Teams

Context: Fewer athletic injuries and lower anterior cruciate ligament injury incidence rates were noted in studies of neuromuscular-training (NMT) interventions that had high compliance rates. However, several groups have demonstrated that preventive NMT interventions were limited by low compliance rates. Objective: To descriptively analyze coach and athlete compliance with preventive NMT and compare the compliance between study arms as well as among school levels and sports. Design: Randomized, controlled clinical trial. Setting: Middle and high school athletic programs. Participants or Other Participants: A total of 52 teams, comprising 547 female athletes, were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group and followed for 1 athletic season. Intervention(s): The experimental group (n = 30 teams [301 athletes]: 12 basketball teams [125 athletes], 6 soccer teams [74 athletes], and 12 volleyball teams [102 athletes]) participated in an NMT program aimed at reducing traumatic knee injuries through a trunk-stabilization and hip-strengthening program. The control group (n = 22 teams [246 athletes]: 11 basketball teams [116 athletes], 5 soccer teams [68 athletes], and 6 volleyball teams [62 athletes]) performed a resistive rubber-band running program. Main Outcome Measure(s): Compliance with the assigned intervention protocols (3 times per week during the preseason [mean = 3.4 weeks] and 2 times per week in-season [mean = 11.9 weeks] of coaches [coach compliance] and athletes [athlete compliance]) was measured descriptively. Using an independent t test, we compared coach and athlete compliance between the study arms. A 2-way analysis of variance was calculated to compare differences between coach and athlete compliance by school level (middle and high schools) and sport (basketball, soccer, and volleyball). Results: The protocols were completed at a mean rate of 1.3 ± 1.1 times per week during the preseason and 1.2 ± 0.5 times per week in-season. A total of 88.4% of athletes completed 2/3 of the intervention sessions. Coach compliance was greater in the experimental group than in the control group (P = .014). Coach compliance did not differ by sport but was greater at the high school than the middle school (P = .001) level. Athlete compliance did not differ by study arm, sport, or school level. Conclusions: Athletes received instruction in about 50% of each protocol. Nearly 90% of athletes performed more than 2/3 of the assigned NMT interventions. The assigned intervention was performed more often in the experimental arm compared with the control arm. Coaches at the high school level complied with the given protocol more than middle school coaches did. Athletes complied well with the protocol, but coaches did not, especially at the middle school level.

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The Effects of a 6-Week Neuromuscular Training Program on Quadriceps and Hamstring Muscle Activation During Side-Cutting in High School Female Athletes

Athletic Training & Sports Health Care ◽

10.3928/19425864-20160303-03 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 164-176 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Justin P. Waxman ◽

Mark S. Walsh ◽

Stephanie T. Smith ◽

William P. Berg ◽

Rose Marie Ward ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Training Program ◽

Muscle Activation ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Neuromuscular Training ◽

Hamstring Muscle

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P.077 A Concussion-U educational presentation improves knowledge and attitudes of concussion amongst elite female high-school hockey players

Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques ◽

10.1017/cjn.2016.181 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 43 (S2) ◽

pp. S39-S39

Author(s):

M Eagles ◽

M Powell ◽

D Bradbury-Squires ◽

J Murphy ◽

G Campbell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Future Research ◽

High Risk Population ◽

Knowledge And Attitudes ◽

Hockey Players ◽

Before And After ◽

Female High School ◽

Concussion Knowledge ◽

Knowledge And Attitude

Background: Research has suggested that female athletes have a higher incidence of concussion compared to their male counterparts. As such, programs designed to improve knowledge and attitudes of concussion should target this high-risk population. Previous work demonstrated the effect of a novel Concussion-U educational presentation on knowledge and attitudes of concussion amongst male Bantam and Midget AAA hockey players. The objective of this study was to determine if the same presentation was effective in improving the knowledge and attitudes of concussion in a cohort of elite female hockey players. Methods: 26 elite female high-school aged (14-17) hockey players from the province of New Brunswick consented to participate in the study. Each participant completed a modified version of Rosenbaum and Arnett’s Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes Survey questionnaire immediately before and after a Concussion-U educational presentation. Results were compared across the two time-points to assess the effectiveness of the presentation. Results: Concussion knowledge and attitude scores significantly (p<.001) increased from pre-presentation to post-presentation by 12.5% and 13.4%, respectively. Conclusions: A Concussion-U educational presentation resulted in increased knowledge and improved attitudes towards concussion in elite female hockey players. Future research should examine the long-term retention of these improvements.

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ALTERED BRAIN FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY FOLLOWING A SEASON OF COMPETITIVE FEMALE HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER AND THE EFFECT OF A JUGULAR VEIN COMPRESSION COLLAR: A NETWORK-BASED STATISTICS ANALYSIS

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/2325967120s00268 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (4_suppl3) ◽

pp. 2325967120S0026

Author(s):

Jonathan A. Dudley ◽

Jed A. Diekfuss ◽

Weihong Yuan ◽

Kim D. Barber Foss ◽

Christopher A. DiCesare ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Functional Connectivity ◽

Resting State ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Jugular Vein ◽

Resting State Fmri ◽

Head Impacts ◽

Brain Functional Network ◽

Female High School ◽

Brain Functional Connectivity

Background: Cumulative exposure to repetitive sub-concussive head impacts in contact sports may have deleterious effects on brain function, even in the absence of acute symptoms. Moreover, anatomical and biomechanical factors may predispose female athletes to higher risk compared to males. At present, there is no effective injury prevention strategy to protect female athletes from sports-related head impact. Hypothesis/Purpose: (1). We aimed to use resting-state fMRI to investigate the effect of a full season of competitive soccer on brain functional network integrity in female high school athletes. (2). We also aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a jugular vein compression neck collar device, designed to mitigate potential injury by reducing the brain slosh effect. Methods: A total of 125 high school female soccer athletes were included in this study. These athletes were assigned randomly to a non-collar (n=55, age=16.06±1.06 yrs) or collar group (n=70, 15.81±0.95 yrs) before the season started. High resolution 3D T1-weighted images and resting-state fMRI data were collected prospectively at pre-season and again at post-season. Data processing and analysis were conducted in the MATLAB-based programs Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM12) and Connectivity Toolbox (Conn). Functional connectivity was computed between each pair of 105 anatomically delineated regions of interest (ROI). Network Based Statistics were applied to detect coherent patterns of altered connectivity from pre- to post-season. Results: The non-collar group showed a significant pattern of altered connectivity (p-FWE = 0.047) spanning 60% of ROIs (63/105) and 1.7% of ROI-ROI connections (94/5,460). 65 of the 94 altered connections were weakened from pre-to-post season and tended to occur in the right hemisphere. 29 of the 94 altered connections were strengthened from pre-to-post season and tended to involve regions in the occipital lobe. The collar group did not show any statistically significant change (p-FWE = 0.223). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that exposure to repetitive sub-concussive head impacts during a single season of competitive female soccer induces changes in brain functional connectivity. The observed increases and decreases of functional connectivity strength comprising the pattern of altered connectivity are congruent with a heterogeneous response to insult wherein some connections are reduced in strength due to neuronal damage and other “detour” connections are strengthened to preserve network function. Comparatively, the absence of alterations in the collar group suggest that the jugular vein compression collar may have generated a potentially protective effect to preserve brain functional network integrity during exposure to head impacts. [Figure: see text]

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Preliminary investigation of a multimodal enhanced brain function index among high school and collegiate concussed male and female athletes

The Physician and Sportsmedicine ◽

10.1080/00913847.2020.1745717 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 442-449

Author(s):

Tracey Covassin ◽

Amanda L. McGowan ◽

Abigail C. Bretzin ◽

Morgan Anderson ◽

Kyle Michael Petit ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Brain Function ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Preliminary Investigation ◽

Male And Female ◽

Function Index

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ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURIES IN HIGH SCHOOL FEMALE AND MALE SOCCER ATHLETES: ARE MATCH ACL RATES BEING UNDERESTIMATED?

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/2325967119s00009 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (3_suppl) ◽

pp. 2325967119S0000

Author(s):

Aaron D. Gray ◽

Scott M. Miller ◽

Samuel Galloway ◽

Seth Sherman ◽

Emily Leary ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

At Risk ◽

Traditional Method ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Injury Rate ◽

Acl Injury ◽

Traditional Methods ◽

Male Athletes ◽

Acl Injuries ◽

Injury Rates

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in Missouri high school female and male soccer players during the 2011-2013 seasons, using a single postseason survey sent to coaches. Our hypothesis is a single postseason survey be a feasible method to measure a large number of athletic exposures (AEs) and ACL injuries. We also hypothesize that “traditional” methods for calculating athletic exposures likely underestimate the actual burden of ACL injuries in high school soccer matches. Methods: The study was IRB approved through the University of Missouri. A web-based survey was developed and sent to every girls and boys high school soccer coach in Missouri using a Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) database. In order to calculate AEs, questions were asked about the average number of athletes who participated in tryouts, practices, and matches along with the specific number of tryouts, practices, and matches for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons. Coaches were also asked the number of ACL injuries their team suffered. No medical personnel were involved in filling out the surveys. Athletic exposures (AEs) were calculated using the formulas below. Match athletic exposures were calculated using a “traditional” method and also an “athlete at risk” method. The primary outcome measure was ACL injuries. Formulas for Calculation of Athletic Exposures (AEs) Tryouts & Practice= (a*A) + (b*B) Match (Traditional)= (c*C) Match (Athlete at Risk)= (11*C) a = average number of players participating in tryouts A = number of tryout sessions b = average number of players participating in practices B = number of practices in a season c = average number of players participating in matches C = number of matches in a season Results: In total, 885 coaches were sent surveys and 160 (18.1%) coaches responded, with 84 coaches representing girls soccer teams and 76 representing boys teams. A total of 323,010 AEs (160,756 female and 162,254 male) were reported of which 228,608 AEs (71%) took place in practices. 94,402 AEs occurred in matches using the “traditional” method and 61,963 AEs in matches using the “athlete at risk” method. 36 ACL injuries (28 female and 8 male) were reported. Of the 28 female ACL injuries, 25 happened during high school soccer activities (23 match, 2 practice). 3 ACL injuries occurred outside of high school soccer activities (1 club soccer, 1 volleyball, 1 unknown.) All 8 male ACL injuries were suffered during a high school match. Female athletes had an ACL injury rate of 0.16/1000 AEs compared to male athletes 0.05/1000 AEs (Table 1). Female athletes had a practice ACL injury rate of 0.02/1000 AEs and there were no ACL injuries suffered by male athletes in practice. Female athletes had a match ACL injury rate of 0.47/1000 AEs using “traditional” method and 0.70/1000 AEs by the “athlete at risk” method. Male athletes had a match ACL injury rate of 0.18/1000 AEs “traditional” method and 0.28/1000 AEs “athlete at risk” method (Figure 1). Female high school soccer athletes had a 3.2x greater risk of ACL tear than male high school soccer athletes. Female athletes were 26x more likely to tear their ACL in a match compared to practice. ACL match injury rates were 50-55% higher using the “athlete at risk” method compared to “traditional” methods for calculating match injury rates. Conclusion/Significance: A single postseason survey sent to coaches was successful in measuring AEs and ACL injury rates for a large population of high school soccer athletes. This represents an economical and feasible mechanism compared to previous studies (Table 2) to measure ACL injury rates for a high number of teams. It also allows ACL injury rates to be measured for schools and teams that do not have certified athletic trainers. “Traditional” methods for calculating match ACL injury rates greatly under represent ACL injuries compared to the “athlete at risk” method which is more representative of true injury risk exposure. A very high percentage of ACL injuries occurred during matches even though matches were responsible for only 29% of AEs. If future studies have limited resources, they should consider not recording practice AEs and ACL injuries since the likelihood of an ACL injury occurring during practice is very low compared to a match. [Table: see text][Table: see text][Figure: see text]

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The Prevalence of Disordered Eating among Adolescent Female Athletes in Four High School Sports

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1249/00005768-200405001-00174 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 36 (Supplement) ◽

pp. S36-S37

Author(s):

Jeanne F. Nichols ◽

Mitchell J. Rauh ◽

Mandra Lawson ◽

Yael Pernick ◽

Mary Hoskinson

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Disordered Eating ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Adolescent Female ◽

High School Sports ◽

School Sports

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Clinical Recovery Timelines following Sport-Related Concussion in Men's and Women's Collegiate Sports

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/601-20 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Abigail C. Bretzin ◽

Carrie Esopenko ◽

Bernadette A. D'Alonzo ◽

Douglas J. Wiebe

Keyword(s):

Sex Differences ◽

Median Time ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Symptom Duration ◽

Athletic Activity ◽

Collegiate Sports ◽

Ivy League ◽

Big Ten ◽

Symptom Resolution ◽

Full Activity

Abstract Context: Past work has identified sex differences in sport-related concussion (SRC) incidence and recovery time; however, few have examined sex differences in specific recovery trajectories: time to symptom resolution, return-to-academics, and return-to-athletic activity across collegiate sports. Objective: To examine sex differences in SRC recovery trajectories across a number of varsity sports with differing levels of contact. Design: Descriptive Epidemiology Study. Setting: College varsity and club sports. Patients or Other Participants: SRCs sustained by student-athletes (N=1,974; 38.7% female) participating in Ivy League sports were tracked from 2013/14-2018/19. Intervention(s): Athletic trainers collected concussive injury and recovery characteristics as part of the Ivy League-Big Ten Epidemiology of Concussion Study's surveillance system. Main Outcome Measure(s): Time to symptom resolution, return-to-academics, and return-to-limited and full athletic activity were collected. Survival analyses determined time from injury to each recovery outcome for males and females by sport. Peto tests compared recovery outcomes between males and female athletes and by sport. Results: The median time to symptom resolution overall was 9 days [IQR:4,18], return-to-academics was 8 days [IQR:3,15], return-to-limited activity was 12 days [IQR:8,23], and return-to-full activity was 16 days [IQR:10,29]. There were significant differences overall between sexes for median time to symptom resolution (males: 8 days [IQR:4,17], females: 9 days [IQR:5,20], p=0.029) and return-to-academics (males: 7 days [IQR:3,14], females: 9 days [IQR:4,17], p<.001), but not return to athletics (limited activity, p=0.107; full activity, p=0.578). Within-sport comparisons found that female lacrosse athletes had longer symptom resolution (p=0.030) and return to academics (p=0.035) compared to males, while male volleyball athletes took longer to return to limited (p=0.020) and full (p=0.049) athletic activity compared to females. Conclusion: There were significant differences in recovery timelines between sexes. Females experienced longer symptom duration and time to return-to-academics compared to male athletes, but females and males presented similar timelines for return-to-athletics.

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