Why Do Female Athletes Have A Higher Risk of ACL Tears and How Can ACL Tears in Women Be Prevented?

Mar 1

Ok, so it's not secret that female athletes have a higher risk of tearing the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. We've all heard stories or known firsthand of college-age women in sports such as soccer, field hockey, and basketball who have had multiple surgeries, yet continue to pursue the dream of becoming a world-class athlete.

Luckily, with current developments in the world of sports medicine, we are often able to get these athletes back on the field quicker than ever. Not only that, but some of these athletes are actually more successful post-surgery then they were before.

As the Head Physician for the U.S. Women's Alpine ski team for almost 20 years, I've had a unique, close-up view of some of the world's top athletes dealing with this injury. And I've repaired a few myself. So I'm going to try to shed some light on the topic here today, as I have many times before.

Great Female Athletes Who Have Bounced Back From ACL Tears

To further educate you on the topic, I've developed a website dealing specifically with ACL tears in female athletes. You can visit that at www.thefemaleacl.com

I'm also going to include three videos here that will shed way more light on the topic. If you have more questions, please reach out to me at teamsterett@vsortho.com

BUT FIRST, HERE'S WHY WE SEE MORE ACL TEARS IN FEMALES

I'm going to explain this in detail in the videos below. But here's a quick review explaining the 5 Differences in the Female ACL when compared to their male counterparts:

Women are more commonly born “knock kneed” which puts the ACL at risk
Women are more commonly loose jointed which puts all ligaments at risk.
The ACL is smaller relative to their body size in women
Females tend to land more straight legged when they jump than men.
Women have monthly hormonal related changes in the stiffness of the ACL that men don’t.

VIDEOS SERIES: WHY DO FEMALE ATHLETES HAVE MORE ACL TEARS

Why Do Women Have More ACL Tears: The Anatomical Reasons #FemaleACL #WomensACLTear

Dr. Sterett breaks down some of the anatomical reasons that women are at a higher risk for ACL and other knee injuries...

How Can Women Avoid ACL Injuries? #FemaleACL #WomensACLTear

Time To Get Surgery: Now What? #FemaleACL WomensACLTear

In the final video in his series on ACL tears in female athletes, Dr. Sterett talks about some of the possible options for surgery, and what women should keep in mind when approaching ACL rehab scenarios.

ACL SurgeryACL Tears

Dr. William Sterett, M.D.

Dr. Bill Sterett is the Head Team Physician for the US Women’s Alpine Ski Team and has been since 1997, with athletes over the years such as Picabo Street, Kristina Koznick, Caroline LaLive, Julia Mancuso and Mikaela Shiffrin. He has served as a US Olympic Committee Team Physician for the past four Winter Olympic Games, with the US Olympic Committee entrusting the care of their athletes to Dr. Sterett in Salt Lake City, Torino, Vancouver and Sochi.

Dr. Sterett is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, a member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, a member of the Arthroscopy Association of North America, and is one of the few physicians who have earned a Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine.

Dr. Sterett has published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles and has lectured regionally, nationally and internationally on hundreds of occasions over the past twenty years. He currently holds patents on orthopedic devices involved in Joint Preservation and works as a consultant to Arthrex and Biomet sports medicine companies.

Dr. Sterett started the Athletic Training Fellowship Program in Vail, Colorado, and served as its Fellowship Director for 15 years. Additionally, he has served as the Medical Director for the Eagle County School District for 14 years, making daily return-to-play decisions and treating local student athletes. Currently, he serves as the Medical Director for the Vail Valley Surgery Centers and has for the past 12 years.

http://www.drsterett.com