MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -Children who fail to master basic physical skills such as running and jumping at an early age face a significantly higher risk of severe knee injuries later in life, according to new research from Coventry University.

The study warns that girls are particularly vulnerable, a finding that resonates in women’s football with England striker Michelle Agyemang becoming the latest of dozens of high-profile female players to suffer a season-ending ACL injury.

Women are up to eight times more likely to suffer the injury than their male counterparts, studies have shown.

The research, which assessed 105 grassroots footballers aged 13 to 16, found those with poor functional movement skills (FMS) — including running, hopping, jumping, skipping and kicking — were far m

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