Addressing Gender Inequality in Sports: Mechanisms and Strategies for Preventing Soft Tissue Injury in Elite Female Athletes

As female participation in sports, traditionally dominated by males continues to grow, a notable trend has emerged: female athletes are disproportionately affected by soft tissue injuries, with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury having an incidence rate up to 9 times more frequently than in their male counterparts. The burden of soft tissue injuries in female athletes such as hamstring injury, ankle sprain, and ACL injury is exacerbated by the underrepresentation of elite female athletes in sports medicine, and therefore suboptimal prevention and rehabilitative methods. This manuscript delves into the anatomical, hormonal, and training-related factors that contribute to this disparity. It examines common injury patterns including knee, ankle, and hamstring injuries, elucidating the pathophysiological mechanisms involved. The severe impact of these injuries can jeopardise the careers of elite sportswomen and prompt the need for a paradigm shift in sports medicine. This paper provides a current overview of injury management and discusses essential changes in prevention and rehabilitation strategies to improve outcomes for female athletes. By examining the existing body of knowledge, this review focuses on proposing future interventions and prevention strategies that are tailored to the unique needs of female athletes.