Since the inception of Title IX there has been a tremendous growth in the number of young women who participate in sport and physical activity.   In the past 15 years the number of women participating in college has increased 210%.  This increase in sport participation has also been associated with an increased number of injuries in female athletes; specifically non-contact ACL tears.  Soccer has been identified as a high risk sport for non-contact ACL injuries in female athletes. It has been reported that women are 2-9 times more likely to sustain an ACL injury compared to their male counterparts who participate in the same sports.

It is estimated that 55,000 ACL injuries occur each year in female athletes, with an associated cost of $17,000 for repair and rehabilitation per patient. Over the last 15 years ankle sprains have decrease by 86 %, ACL injuries have increased by 172%.  Aside from the financial costs, rehabilitation from this type of injury takes at least 6-10 months, resulting in a significant loss of playing time.  Also, current research links a 100 times greater chance of developing osteoarthritis after suffering an ACL tear as opposed to individuals that have not.  Thus, the focus of researchers over the past decade has been to develop prevention strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of this injury.

Several mechanisms have been identified that are associated with an increased risk of non-contact ACL injuries in female athletes and are divided into external and internal factors.  External factors include shoe-surface interactions, surface type, and the weather.  Internal factors include anatomical, neuromuscular, biomechanical, and hormonal factors.  Since sport performance professionals are unable to alter an athlete’s anatomy, should not tamper with a woman’s hormonal environment, and do not have much control over the weather, the approach that will have the greatest impact on injury risk reduction is to alter and improve the biomechanical and neuromuscular characteristics that predispose young women to non-contact ACL injuries.

Why does this happen ?

1. Landing from a jump with straighter legs than males.
2. Having greater knee valgus, or the knees caving inward.
3. Stopping or changing direction with a single large step.
4. Activating the quadriceps prior to the hamstrings during change of direction movements or jumps.

Solution
Fortunately, using specific instructions with sprint, agility, and plyometric drills can help young women alter faulty movement characteristics and possibly improve neuromuscular risk factors, thereby reducing the risk of injury.  Implementing an ACL injury prevention program has been shown to reduce ACL injuries by 88% in younger athletes. 

Conclusion
The incidence of non-contact ACL injuries is greater in young women compared to young men.  Although various internal and external factors may predispose a female athlete to this injury, prevention strategies that focus on biomechanical and neuromuscular factors are beneficial for reducing injury risk in young female athletes.  Routinely including sprint, agility, and jumping drills with specific movement cues will help to improve faulty movement mechanics and reduce the risk of non-contact ACL injuries in female athletes.

Todd Brown
Co-Founder G.O.A.L.S. Training Series
Marlton, New Jersey
www.Goalstrainingseries.com