December 2005

My 15 year old daughter recently started basketball practice.  I have heard that female athletes are at a high risk for tearing their ACL in the knee.  What is the ACL and what can my daughter do to prevent such an injury?

Alarmingly, the incidence of ACL tears is 4-6 times greater in female athletes than that of male athletes in the same sport.  The Anterior

Cruciate Ligament is the primary restraint in the knee preventing the shinbone (tibia) from sliding forward or rotating beneath the thighbone (femur).  Rupture of this critical ligament generally requires surgery and a very extensive rehabilitation. In general, females tend to have a wider pelvis, increased knee laxity and less development of the thigh musculature.  These factors, coupled with the tendency of female athletes to land more “straight-legged” from a jump; to turn and pivot in a more erect body position; and to allow the knee to fall inside the hip and foot during functional activities all account for a higher incidence of ACL injuries in females.  Specific training programs have shown very high prevention rates.  Conditioning of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles has proven to be a critical component of these programs.  Exercises such as squats, lunges, step-ups, knee extensions and hamstring curls target these muscle groups effectively.  By increasing their knee bend upon impact when landing from a jump and staying lower to the ground during cutting and pivoting maneuvers, females may prevent excessive force across the ACL.  At Sport & Spine, we strive to be very complete in our post-operative ACL rehabilitation programs.  We place a great deal of emphasis not only on returning our athletes to their pre-injury level, but also incorporate preventative measures to prevent future knee problems.