Female Athletes More Prone to Tearing ACL Than Men?
What is an ACL Injury?
Your anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is an important ligament in your knee because it connects the patella (top portion of the knee) to the tibia (bottom portion of the knee) and gives the knee rotational stability. An ACL injury is one of the most common injuries in sports, and based on statistics, female athletes are 2 to 10 times more likely to suffer from an ACL injury than male athletes. Injuries usually occur from quick movements made by the athlete such as pivoting, cutting, or jumping and landing the wrong way. If you have recently suffered an ACL injury and are looking for Physical Therapy in East Northport, let our team at Island Sports Physical Therapy get you back in the game!
Why are Women More Likely to Suffer an ACL Injury?
While there is no definitive reason why women are more likely to tear their ACL’s than men, there are a few factors that can contribute to this injury. They are:
- Hormones: The estrogen hormone that exists in women can be a potential cause of their ACL tears. High levels of this hormone in the body weaken the ACL, making it more prone to injury.
- Bone Structure: Women are born with wider hips than men so that they have the ability to carry and birth a child. This skeletal structure results in more weight being put on a woman’s knees than a man’s, which can lead to them putting a lot of strain on the surrounding ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
- Muscle Strength: As we mature, women seem to have weaker leg muscles than men do. These muscles include the glutes, buttox, hamstring, and quads. For this reason, it is important that women work on strengthening these muscles in an effort to take the strain off their knees and prevent an ACL injury from occurring.
What Exercises Can I Do to Prevent an ACL Injury?
As mentioned before, the muscles you want to focus on are your glutes, buttons, hamstring, and quads to prevent an ACL injury. Here are some exercises that can be very helpful:
- Squats
- Deadlift
- Swiss Leg Curl
- Glute Bridge
If you are looking for physical therapy in East Northport, let our physical therapists at Island Sports create a personalized program that will focus on strengthening leg muscles as well as improving the flexibility of your knee. Visit our office today!
