Citation

Theberge N. Ergonomics 2012; 55(2): 183-193.

Affiliation

University of Waterloo , Department of Kinesiology, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 , Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00140139.2011.592602

PMID

21851311

Abstract

This article provides a review and analysis of the literatures on the gendering of injuries in sport and in work. It argues that, while research on women's work-related injuries has considered the interaction of biological and social bases of risk, research on women's injuries in sport has concentrated to a greater extent on biological risk factors alone. The difference in emphasis between these two literatures has, in turn, provoked contrasting responses to these sets of research. While bringing women into the discussion of work-related injuries is seen as an advance, the profiling of women's sport-related injuries has been viewed with alarm by critics, who see this as a return to historical notions of women's frailty. The analysis suggests that contrasts between these bodies of research derive from differences in the social organisation of sport and work and the broader literatures on health and safety in each setting. The article highlights the importance of conceptualisations of gender in research agenda devoted to understanding health-related concerns. Statement of Relevance: The analysis presented here has important relevance to ergonomics because of the need to better understand how gender is implicated in ergonomics research and practice.

Language: en