ACL Injury Prevention
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Female athletes are at a greater risk of injuring their ACL's. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, females are four to six times more likely to tear their ACL than males. Although there is not a definite explanation for the increased susceptibility of females to this injury, there are numerous credible theories, some of which are listed below.
Females Land Flat-Footed Rather Than on the Balls of Their Feet
A "good" athletic stance means placing weight on the balls of your feet, knees and hips bent, and rear-end down and chest up. However, certain studies have proven that females are more likely to be flat-footed rather than placing weight on the balls of their feet. Landing flat-footed places more stress on ligaments, while landing on the balls of your feet distributes the stress from the jump throughout the leg muscles.
Girls Bend Their Knees Inwards When Landing From a Jump
Females hips are wider than males in comparison to their body, which causes them to bend their knees inward when they jump. This leads to increased ACL injuries because the stress from the fall of the jump is absorbed by the knee ligaments rather than by the muscles surrounding the knee.