ACL Injuries In Young Female Athletes: Causes And Epidemiology

ACL injuries in young female athletes: causes, epidemiology, prevention and rehab Siliang Zeng Introduction The world has grown tremendously in the medical field. Injuries that were once undetectable are currently easily detectable and treatable. The world has not yet reached a point where fractures and ligaments can be repaired in a matter of seconds. Recently, the world has seen a surge in the number of athletes with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The sad part of this discovery is that the number of young people with ACL injuries continues to increase. Mathew (2016) notes that “an estimated 200,000 ACL-related injuries occur annually in the United States, with approximately 95,000 ACP raptures.” Mathew adds that “approximately 100,000 ACL reconstructions are performed each year.” These are staggering numbers that help to showcase the risks of being an athlete. Young athletes have also had an increase in ACL-related injuries and Corner (2013) notes that “the growing number of children participating in competitive sports at an early age and exposure to more intense levels of training” as the reason for the surge. As it has been established by numerous researchers, female athletes are prone to ACL-related injuries (Corner, 2013). According to a report from Contemporary Pediatrics, the rate of getting ACL injuries is 4 to 6 times higher in female athletes compared to their male counterparts. However, ACL-related injuries are a problem and even though different ways have been proposed to help deal with the threat of ACL injuries, more athletes are having their dreams cut short. This article thus seeks to discuss the causes, epidemiology, prevention, and rehab of ACL-related injuries in the hope of creating awareness and helping young female athletes pursue their dreams. Population at Risk and Risk Factors As indicated earlier, women are currently involved in sports at a high level. However, this comes with a myriad of problems and one of them is injuries. For young female athletes, getting an ACL injury can present a big challenge as it may be threatening to their career prospects. To some, it may mean the end of a young career, to others it could mean difficulty to walk for the rest of one’s life, and to others, it could mean a normal injury like any other. There are different reasons that predispose female athletes to ACL injuries. Puberty for young girls comes with many changes. Some girls grow taller and heavier and unknowingly to them, this makes them at risk of getting an ACL injury. Wolf (2019) notes that “female athletes between 15- and 20-years old account for the largest number of ACL injuries.” Wolf (2019) notes that the biomechanics of female bodies at this age could be reason for increased probability to ACL injuries. She continues to say that this particular population is at a greater risk than any other to get ACL injuries. Loyola University Health System goes an extra point to specify that young female athletes “who play basketball and soccer are two-to-eight times more likely to suffer an ACL injury compared to male athletes.” These rates are quite high and showcase prevention mechanisms are imminent to help protect young female athletes. But, what are some of the risk factors that mak...