FEMALE ATHLETES: ACL INJURY AND PREVENTION 1

Female Athletes: ACL Injury and prevention

Cayla Williams

Immaculata University
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Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most common knee injuries

among athletes. From the most elite athletes to the recreational athlete, ACL tears are

always a concern. However, among those athletes, females are more susceptible to ACL

injuries. Female athletes, who participate in sports that involve, jumping and pivoting,

are 2 to 10 times more likely to sustain an ACL injury than male athletes who are

participating in the same sports (Hewett, 2010).

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four ligaments that stabilize

the ligaments in the knee. The ACL prevents the tibia from moving anteriorly (forward)

of the femur as well as providing rotary stability to the knee. The ACL originates from

the medial and anterior part of the tibial plateau and runs diagonally to the lateral

femoral condyle. Together with the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), the ACL controls

the knee mechanics. ("Anterior Cruciate Ligament," 2012)

Most ACL injures are caused by a noncontact mechanism often while the athlete

is landing from a jump or planting their foot flat and cutting in the other direction.

There are several biomechanical factors that make females more susceptible. The first

being that females have more of a valgus knee alignment or they are considered knock-

knees causes the knees to be more inward when they land increasing the risk of ACL

injury. ("An Athlete's Nightmare: Tearing the ACL," 2008) It is also believed that female

athletes are more predisposed to ACL injuries because of their muscular control. Cutting
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and landing and changing direction needs higher levels of muscular control in order to

have stability. Females are known for not being as muscular or as stable as male

athletes in general (Hewett, 2010). Extrinsic risk factors for ACL injuries include the

playing surface, the discrepancies on whether or not to use prophylactic or functional

knee bracing in prevention of ACL injury, footwear, and weather. (Silvers and

Mandelbaum, 2007)

Female athletes should be put on an ACL injury prevention program in order to

decrease the risk of ACL injury. These programs will help strengthen the athletes, which

in return provide more stability. Prevention programs include strengthening the muscles

around the knee, building core muscles for overall body stability and specific stretching.

Some programs also include running and different cutting sequences. This teaches the

athlete how to properly plant and cut to not cause an injury. ("ACL Injury Prevention

Starts Young," 2001)

Overall, female athletes are more likely to have an ACL injury than male athletes.

This is due to the difference in female anatomy, biomechanics, and extrinsic factors. It is

important that all female athletes be on an injury prevention program in order to

reduce the probability of ACL injury. By being proactive about preventing ACL injuries

will decrease the number of female athletes sidelined due to injury and increase the

quality of the athlete.

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References

ACL injury: Does it require surgery? (2009, September). Retrieved from

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00297

ACL injury prevention starts young. (2001). The Physician and Sportsmedicine Phy

Sportsmed, 29(3), 0. doi:10.3810/psm.2001.03.694

Anterior cruciate ligament. (2012, November 29). Retrieved from

http://shp.missouri.edu/vhct/case3505/anat_physio.htm

An athlete's nightmare: Tearing the acl. (2008, May/June). Retrieved from

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/summer08/articles/sum

mer08pg24-26.html

Hewett, T. E. (2010, November). Why women have an increased risk of ACL injury.

Retrieved from

http://www.aaos.org/AAOSNow/2010/Nov/research/research3/?ssopc=1

Silvers, H. J., & Mandelbaum, B. R. (2007). Prevention of anterior cruciate ligament

injury in the female athlete. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 41(Suppl 1), i52i59.

http://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2007.037200
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