Understanding the Pre-Injury Life Context of Female Athletes Who Have Sustained Common Female Knee Injuries: A Qualitative Study Restricted; Files & ToC
Malik, Hanna (Spring 2026)
Abstract
Background: Female athletes experience disproportionately high rates of common knee injuries (CFKIs), including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), meniscal tears, and patellar dislocations. While existing research has largely focused on biological and post-injury outcomes, limited attention has been given to the psychosocial, environmental, and contextual factors present before injury and the implications for public health.
Purpose: This study aimed to explore the pre-injury life context of female athletes and examine how physical, mental, social, and environmental stressors contribute to injury vulnerability.
Methods: A qualitative study design was utilized, involving semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 16 female athletes who sustained a knee injury within the past 10 years. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Interviews were conducted via Zoom, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis guided by Braun and Clarke’s framework.
Results: Five key themes emerged: (1) inadequate nutritional fueling, (2) pressure and conflict within sport environments, (3) overtraining accompanied by fatigue, soreness, and unresolved injuries, (4) mental health challenges, and (5) academic stress. These factors rarely occurred in isolation; instead, athletes described navigating multiple, overlapping stressors that contributed to cumulative physical and psychological strain. Many participants also reported normalizing pain, suppressing stress, and continuing participation despite warning signs, often due to internal and external pressures.
Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of considering the broader, multidimensional context of female athletes’ lives when examining injury risk and developing injury prevention programs in public health. Addressing modifiable stressors through holistic, multi-level prevention strategies—such as nutrition education, recovery monitoring, mental health support, and supportive sport environments—may reduce injury risk and improve overall well-being. This study contributed to filling a critical gap in the literature by centering the lived experiences of female athletes and emphasizing the need for more inclusive, context-driven research.
Table of Contents
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File download under embargo until 21 May 2028 | 2026-04-19 18:55:47 -0400 | File download under embargo until 21 May 2028 |
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