AFLW Women and Concussion Risk

[chiwigi]

Is it down to technique or is there a physiological reason?

Do we need different rules for AFLW to ensure safety?

 

[owen87]

Is it down to technique or is there a physiological reason?

Do we need different rules for AFLW to ensure safety?

Why women are more at risk from concussion

Women athletes are twice as likely as men to get concussed and the effects are more severe, but with research focusing mainly on men, is concussion in women being overlooked?

www.bbc.com

Good article about this; a lot is still unknown but there's almost definitely physiological reasons that mean women are more likely to suffer from a concussion following an impact.

Tackling technique - both in executing the tackle and in receiving a tackle - improving would likely help reduce the risks, as would building up neck strength and such.

 

[quotemokc]

How do women fall differently?

 

[Belnakor]

Its just like ACLs. You can mitigate but the base chance is higher for women all other things remaining equal.

 

[NorthernBastard]

the occurrence of both ACL's and concussion is coming down as players with more junior level experience are filtering through the ranks, as well as the education clubs receive from the Prep to Play programs designed for different levels of female footballers.

But as mentioned, with physiological differences it's likely to remain higher than men.

 

[owen87]

How do women fall differently?

I believe their centre of gravity is shifted so that they will always land on their heads. Much like how toast will always land with the vegemite side down if you drop it.

 

[Cdog71]

Whiplash leads to concussion, maybe theyre something in that with the velocity of a collision and the jolt knowing generally there isn’t as much muscle mass and strength in the neck and coming down between the shoulders