The likelihood of ACL injuries in women’s football is six times more as compared to men’s football. Sadly, it’s common to hear a women’s club say that a player will lose time because of an ACL tear. Only 12 minutes into Wednesday’s WSL match between Arsenal and Manchester United, England’s skipper Leah Williamson sustained a rupture. She won’t take part in the World Cup this summer. Beth Mead, a colleague from her club and country also had an ACL injury in November. She might not be able to participate in the World Cup, is entering the treatment area behind her. A week after Mead, Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema also had a similar injury. She has missed the majority of the season while she heals.
Additionally, the subject attracted interest at the recent European Championships. Alexia Putellas, the winner of the Ballon d’Or, missed Spain’s tournament debut after rupturing her ACL two days earlier. Simone Magill had the same injury during Northern Ireland’s tournament opener against Norway, just days after joining Aston Villa. In their second group game against Belgium, France’s attacker Marie-Antoinette Katoto walked off after rupturing her ACL. Her chances of winning the Golden Boot in the 2022 European Championship were excellent.
There may be an endless list of female athletes who have gone through the difficult ACL rehabilitation process, but there hasn’t been any scientific research into why women are more likely than men to have the injury. There are theories that contend menstrual cycles have a significant impact, yet there hasn’t been enough data to support them.
Dr Emma Ross
“We are aware that female athletes are up to six times more likely than male athletes to get a non-contact ACL injury. There isn’t a lot of research on female athletes since, according to a report we released a year ago, only approximately 6% of sport and exercise science studies are done entirely on women, meaning they look at things that are occurring to the female body,” Dr. Emma Ross said about ACL injuries in women’s football. “However, what is known regarding the menstrual cycle and injury is that the body’s physiology and biomechanics can be affected by the fluctuating hormone levels during the cycle. For instance, when estrogen levels are higher during the menstrual cycle, which occurs in the second or third week, it may impact the stability of joints.”
“It can cause our joints to become more loosened and flexible by interfering with the collagen in our joints. Therefore, a loose joint is less stable and more vulnerable to harm. So while there is some research available concerning loose joints, we do not yet know whether it actually raises the risk of injury in female athletes,” she added.
Women’s feet are different from men’s in shape and volume. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) affects the knee. The senior lecturer in sports rehabilitation at St Mary’s University in London stated that “We know that women have a two to five times higher risk of ACL injuries.” While several of the main shoe companies are working on women-specific models. Dr. Okholm Kryger stated that there is still a general shortage of football boots on the market.
Aoife Mannion
Aoife Mannion, a defender for Manchester United, has suffered two ACL injuries in recent years and is a WSL player. In October 2019, soon after joining Manchester City, she had a critical ACL injury. Mannion missed 458 days of playing time due to Covid postponements and only made 11 appearances for City. She moved to the opposite side of Manchester last summer when her contract with the club expired. However, she had another ACL tear in March 2022 after a promising start under Marc Skinner. She only lately started acting again.
“The first time I tried it, I could definitely feel myself leaving my body. I was spared some of the suffering that other people experience, but I was aware that something had happened. In contrast to the last one, which was highly complicated, this one had a relatively basic ACL,” Manion said. “Menstrual cycles may be one of the contributing elements that we’ve already mentioned. It’s challenging for a football player to begin to consider whether some aspects of their physical makeup increase their risk of suffering ACL damage.”
“The inspiration is somewhat egotistical. Since I know that by sharing, wonderful people would support me,” she added. “I would advise everyone to engage in some of that and to discuss what they are doing because others who understand it and are on the same page as you will offer encouragement, and you need all the support you can get. One of the reasons individuals don’t talk about their recovery, in my opinion, is that they fear they could be hurt again or experience a setback and seem foolish. In my opinion, it makes sense to share the enjoyable moments along the journey.“
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