(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2007) Lemke, Shayna Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Mary P. Miles.
Women athletes are more likely to tear their anterior cruciate ligament than their male counterparts. The female athlete has a complex system of steroid hormones that are continually changing. These sex hormones that fluctuate throughout each month may influence knee injuries, specifically the anterior cruciate ligament. The increased incidence in women is thought to be multifactorial, a combination of structural, anatomical, or biomechanical factors. The NCAA has reported that 75 percent of anterior cruciate ligament injuries are non-contact in competitive jumping or pivoting sports. In this study, the effects of the menstrual cycle on neuromuscular performance were investigated. Fifteen healthy females with regular menstrual cycles completed the various tests of this study for three phases of the menstrual cycle. All females were categorized as moderate or vigorous exercisers from an activity questionnaire. This study used a repeated measures experimental design; therefore, each participant served as her own control. The participants completed a series of two tests, including functional balance and fatigability.
