Women athletes are plagued by incidences of knee injuries eight times more than their male counterparts, when participating in similar sports with similar extrinsic risk factors, such as playing conditions and footwear, during the pre-ovulatory (first half) phase of the menstrual cycle, clustered in the time period between menses and ovulation. Ligamentous structures are typically damaged during knee injury. Ligaments are usually torn when an excessive external force is applied to the limb. However, unlike most ligamentous structures in the body, knee ligaments can also be strain or rupture due non contact torsional force. Despite the most earnest efforts to preserve the integrity of the knee joint during reconstructive surgery, patients who have had this surgery continue to present with degenerative changes of the articular cartilage and the inevitable early onset of osteoarthritis. There has been growing evidence that monthly hormonal changes may increase... |