ACL tears are a worry during the Women’s World Cup, but they may not mean the end for an athlete

With the Women’s World Cup in full swing in Germany, our thoughts are turning to... ACL tears. Studies have shown that women are more vulnerable than men to injuring their anterior cruciate ligament, which is found in the knee and helps to keep the joint stable. Some sports in which collisions and stop-start, jumping and pivoting movements are common--like soccer--can up the ante.

A torn ACL back in May prevented top U.S. player Lindsay Tarpley from playing in the World Cup--this was the second such injury in that knee. An ACL tear in May also shut out Norway’s Melissa Wiik from the World Cup.

Tears usually require surgery that can keep an athlete out of play for months. But recent studies have shed some light on the injury and how it can be prevented and treated.

A study presented in February at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine meeting found that hamstrings may be better than knee tendons for repairing ACL tears. Among 180 people who underwent ACL reconstruction surgery, half had a knee tendon graft and half had a hamstring graft. After following them for 15 years, researchers found the hamstring group had better overall results, reporting less pain and higher activity levels.

A 2010 study in the Journal of Biomechanics tested the effectiveness of a training program designed to lessen the shear forces on knee joints. In the small study, 14 female high school and college basketball players with no previous knee injuries did jump-stop drills, a fundamental basketball move. They were fitted with devices that allowed movements, muscle activity and knee joint forces to be calculated.

While using an alternate technique from their normal movements, one in which they jumped higher and landed more steeply, on their toes, they were able to decrease the force to their knees on landing by an average 56%. The study didn’t conclude that this will prevent ACL injuries, and in a real life situation all bets are off--athletes might rely on muscle memory and go back to old habits. But more training might help to more permanently change their movements.

There’s more good news: A recent story on ACL injuries reported that athletes are having better outcomes after surgery, thanks to less invasive, more high-tech procedures. If athletes stick to their rehab program post-surgery, even better--they may be able to return to the same level of play as before.

But the best injury is no injury, so let’s hope for a World Cup with as few missteps as possible.