Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury in High School and Collegiate Female Athletes

Abstract

Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the high school and collegiate female athlete is currently an epidemic in the field of sports medicine. The rate of which ACL injuries occur to female athletes is continually rising, which contributes to higher incidence rates of injuries in female athletes when compared to male athletes. This review addresses the epidemiology of the ACL injury in female athletes, the mechanisms involved in predicting injury (risk factors), and the preventive strategies currently employed to help reduce the occurrence of ACL injuries in female athletes. Neuromuscular training (NMT) programs appear to be sufficient in reducing the incidence of ACL injuries in female athletes and provide hope for the continual progression of preventive strategies for ACL injury in the female athlete.