What soccer players need to know about ACL injuries

Groton and Westminster players chase down a loose ball during a 2018 match. (Maddie Malhotra/New England Soccer Journal)

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most common injuries seen among high school and collegiate soccer players.

This injury is prominent in soccer because of the high-velocity pivots and rotation forces of the lower extremities during practice and competition. ACL injuries can occur when contact is made with another player, such as a tackle from the side, causing a medial force to the knee or simply knocking knees with another player. Non-contact soccer injuries to the ACL are commonly caused by the repetitive and quick movements previously mentioned or landing awkwardly with the knee in a vulnerable position.

It has been widely presumed that the anatomy of female athletes leads to an increased predisposition for ACL injuries, but, to date, there is a lack of evidence to support such a theory. Likewise, there has not been any conclusive evidence to support the change in hormonal levels as a precursor to ACL tears. This too was a previously theorized notion that has been unproven thus far.