A sporting mystery: Female athletes up to six times more likely to injure their ACL

SBS Audio feature, June 2023

_{France’s Delphine Cascarino pulled out of the world cup due to an ACL injury. Image via SBS. Source: AAP / Vincent Mignott/ EPA.}

Sometimes there’s a popping sound. Other times, it’s silent. But when a footballer falls to the floor, clutching their knee in pain, it’s often clear right away what has happened. A rupture to the anterior cruciate ligament – better known as the ACL – can be life-changing.

And in the lead-up to the FIFA Women’s Football World Cup, which starts later this month, an alarming number of players are being forced to drop out because of the injury.

It afflicts women at a far higher rate than men — but experts still don’t know why.

I spoke to Ms Tess Rolley, a PhD candidate at Deakin University, and Dr Stephanie Filbay, senior research associate and physiotherapist at the University of Melbourne, to find out what we know, and don’t know, about ACL injuries in female athletes.