Why are girl athletes getting hurt?
It’s hard to believe that more than two decades have passed since the enactment of Title IX, a law prohibiting sex discrimination in school athletics. Since then, girls have been closing the gap with boys and celebrating their achievements in competitive sports. Just as girls are enjoying increased opportunities – like athletic scholarships – they are also suffering a staggering rate of injuries. In sports that both girls and boys play, girls are much likelier than their male counterparts to sustain serious knee injuries. Consider Erin Bigley, a former Moorestown High School lacrosse and soccer stand-out, who contributed to that statistic … twice. In high school, Bigley tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. A painful injury, the ACL is torn during a sudden torsion, hyperextension, or dislocation of the joint. After reconstructive surgery, and months of physical therapy, Bigley was ready to play again. “I wanted to get back on t
