ACL Injuries in the Female Athlete: Causes, Impacts, and Conditioning Programs

Nearly a million anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries occur each year worldwide, causing long-term problems in the knee joint. This textbook examines the short- and long-term impacts of ACL injuries on the basis of hundreds of published studies. Risk factors for such injuries are explored using data from hypothesis-driven investigations, and possible causes of the higher risk of noncontact ACL injuries in female athletes are analyzed. Neuromuscular training programs shown to reduce the rate of these injuries in female athletes are described in step-by-step detail with the aid of numerous color photographs and video demonstrations. In addition, detailed descriptions are provided for rehabilitation programs to be used after ACL reconstruction in order to reduce the risk of a future injury. The book will be of value to orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, athletic trainers, sports medicine primary care physicians, and strength and conditioning specialists.