As Dr. William Sterett, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Vail-Summit Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery in the athletic community of Vail, Colorado, I’ve worked closely with countless female athletes. One question that’s come up more frequently in recent years is this: Does my menstrual cycle affect my risk of tearing my ACL?

The short answer is yes—there is growing evidence that hormone fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle can influence ligament laxity and neuromuscular control, which in turn may increase the risk of ACL injury during specific phases.

Studies have indicated that women tend to land with different mechanics than their male counterparts. This has proven to be a factor in the high rate of ACL tears among our female athletes.

It's not just the ladies at the top of the podium who face pressure. Many female athletes are becoming more susceptible to this female athlete's triad.

Are you loose-jointed? Dr. Sterett talks about why you have a 5x greater risk of suffering an ACL tear.