GREEN BAY — Research has shown that female athletes are up to eight times more likely to tear their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) than their male counterparts. In our latest issue Youth Sports: Beyond the ScoreNBC 26 investigated the cause.
“Honestly, it’s devastating,” Hortonville head coach AC Clouthier said.
Clouthier talks about female athletes who specifically tear their ACL ligaments.
“I’ve had five knee surgeries myself, so I know what it’s like to sit out a whole season and want to be a part of it and be a part of the game,” he said.
Hortonville senior Kallie Peppler tore her ACL two seasons ago going into the break, and like me, she wanted to know why so many basketball players tear the ligament
“I really have no idea,” Peppler said. I’ve asked (this) question many times because it’s a lot, it’s happened to a lot of girls who play basketball, but every time I see someone come into the game, I’m like, “Oh.” “
To get answers, NBC 26 spoke with Green Bay-area orthopedic surgeons who specialize in ACL injuries.
“When the knee is in a certain position when landing or pivoting, more stress can be placed on the ACL ligament, which can cause it to tear,” said Dr. Michael Parman, an orthopedic surgeon at OSMS in Green Bay.
“The sports of turning, cutting and jumping seem to have a higher rate of accidents compared to other sports, but basketball is definitely a sport where I see a lot of injuries,” said Dr. Kevin Shepet, an orthopedic surgeon at Bellin Health.
Dr. Shepet shared some surprising statistics.
“We know it’s about 4 and a half times more likely in women than in men, but it’s certainly a problem in the sports medicine world,” Dr. Shepet said.
Research from the University of Connecticut has shown that in certain sports, any athlete is more susceptible to non-contact ACL injuries, but women are injured much more often.
“There are definitely a lot of quick changes in direction in basketball. The same applies to football. Whenever you plant your foot and rotate your body weight around that leg, there is enough torque in the knee to tear the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL),” Dr. Parman said.
Doctors say the main reason is that girls are anatomically different from their peers. For example, the angle of the lower leg passing through the knee. The size of the ACL ligament and surrounding bone.
“On average, women are quadriceps dominant compared to men, and this is theorized to be one of the many causes of the increased injury rate,” says Dr. Shepet.
Doctors say more research needs to be done, but some studies have also shown that the menstrual cycle in female athletes may play a role in these injuries.
“There has been some research that has shown that during a certain phase of the menstrual cycle, particularly the ovulation phase, changes in hormone levels can actually increase ligament laxity, which could theoretically increase the risk of an ACL tear at that particular time,” says Dr. Parman said: “A woman’s body is characterized by some loosening of the ligaments, especially during childbirth. Therefore, these hormones increase ligament laxity and joint looseness. So when the ligament is loose and not as stable, it increases the torque when twisting around the knee, which can potentially cause injury.
Local high school coach Marissa Haug knows all too well what the players go through.
“I think it’s just a big change in these women’s bodies, especially at their age,” Haug said. “They just need to make sure they take care of their bodies, nutrition is a huge thing.”
To be clear: according to research, your menstrual cycle can be one of many different factors leading to ACL tears – which can’t be 100% preventable, but there are ways to reduce the risk.
“There are some injury prevention programs that focus on core exercises. Work on your landing mechanics to avoid twisting your knee and rotating incorrectly when landing, and develop good muscle control in your lower extremities to prevent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. Dr. Parman said.
According to the doctors we spoke with, the main cause of ACL tears is excessive muscle strain in boys and girls because too many athletes focus on one sport.
“It is recommended to always ensure adequate rest, take a break from all sports to give the body a chance to heal and recover, and ensure proper nutrition and adequate rest to prevent injury,” Dr. Parman said.
Trainers like Scotty Smith of Synergy Sports Performance say this doesn’t mean athletes need to stop exercising.
“You know, maybe today your recovery will be a yoga session. Maybe come for a massage or a bike ride, but it’s not going to be going home and playing volleyball or basketball or whatever,” Smith said.
