Women’s sports are growing faster than ever.
So is a devastating injury that keeps showing up on courts and fields around the world: the ACL tear.

From soccer to basketball, girls and women are significantly more likely than men to suffer an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury — often without contact, during a simple pivot, landing, or sudden change of direction. Researchers estimate female athletes may be two to eight times more likely to tear their ACL compared to male athletes playing the same sports. 
And yet, for decades, women’s bodies were barely studied in sports science.

What Is the ACL?

The ACL is one of the major ligaments in the knee. It helps stabilize the joint during movement, especially in sports that involve:

• Cutting
• Jumping
• Sudden stops
• Pivoting
• Rapid direction changes

When the ligament tears, recovery can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months, and many athletes never fully return to their previous level of play. 
 

For elite athletes, it can derail entire seasons or careers.
For young athletes, it can change confidence, identity, and long-term joint health.

Why Are Female Athletes More at Risk?

Researchers still don’t have one single answer.
The reality is likely a combination of factors.

1. Biomechanics and Movement Patterns

Studies suggest women often land, cut, and decelerate differently than men. Knees may collapse inward more during movement — a position that places extra stress on the ACL. 

Experts also point to:

Less knee flexion during landing

Different hip and core mechanics

Muscle imbalances between quadriceps and hamstrings

These movement patterns can increase strain on the knee during high-speed sports.

2. Anatomy Differences

Female athletes generally have:

Wider pelvises

Greater “Q-angle” (the angle between the hips and knees)

Narrower knee structures

These anatomical differences may alter how force travels through the knee joint. 

3. Hormonal Factors

Researchers are also studying whether hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle affect ligament laxity and injury risk. Some emerging research suggests certain phases of the cycle may temporarily increase vulnerability. 
 

This area still needs much more research.

4. A History of Underfunding Women’s Sports Science

One of the biggest issues is simple:

Women athletes have historically been understudied.

According to research referenced by multiple experts, only a small percentage of sports science studies have focused specifically on female athletes. 
National Geographic
 

That means training methods, recovery protocols, footwear design, and injury prevention programs were often built around male bodies first.

Soccer and Basketball Are Especially High Risk

ACL injuries are particularly common in sports involving:

• Jumping
• Cutting
• Fast directional changes

That includes:

• Soccer
• Basketball
• Lacrosse
• Volleyball

Women’s soccer has become one of the most visible examples of the issue, with many elite players missing major tournaments because of ACL injuries. 
magazine.alumni.ubc.ca
 

Can ACL Tears Be Prevented?

Not entirely.
But experts believe many can be reduced.

Programs focused on:

• Strength training
• Proper landing mechanics
• Neuromuscular warmups
• Hamstring and glute development
• Load management and recovery

have shown promising results. Some prevention programs reportedly reduce ACL injury risk dramatically when used consistently. 
 

Warm-up systems like FIFA 11+ are increasingly recommended in youth soccer and women’s sports. 
 

The Conversation Is Finally Changing

The rise of women’s sports is also pushing more attention toward female athlete health.

Projects like “Project ACL,” supported by organizations including Nike, FIFPRO, and professional women’s soccer leagues, are trying to better understand why these injuries happen and how to prevent them. 
National Geographic
 

For years, many athletes simply accepted ACL tears as “part of the game.”
Now the focus is shifting toward prevention, research, and designing training specifically for women athletes instead of adapting systems originally created for men.

That shift may end up protecting an entire generation of girls in sports.

Sources
CBC Radio article - 

National Geographic – Why are women more likely to get ACL injuries?

Cedars-Sinai – ACL Tears in Girls and Women

Yale Medicine – Are ACL Tears Really More Common in Women?

UBC Magazine – ACL injuries in female soccer players