Women are 6x more likely than men to get an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury.

45% don’t return to play.

35% don’t return to performance (their best).

For those that do, it’s a 9+ month recovery.

There’s a few moving parts when it comes to injury.

But there’s early research that highlights a few contributors that might make women more prone to ACL and joint injuries:

• 🦴 Hip bone width (creates a harsher angle on the knee and ankle when the foot strikes the ground)‍
• 🩸 Oestrogen levels (high oestrogen levels can loosen joints, which might make women more prone to injury at that stage of the menstrual cycle)
• ‍🦵 Quad dominance (women tend to have stronger quads than glutes and hamstrings, an imbalance that can destabilise the knee during movement)
  

Lots of uncontrollables there… But there are a few controllable things you can do to help prevent joint injury and maximise performance:

• 🤾 Technique training (jumping, landing, running, changing direction)
• 🤸 Core training (a 2015 study in the Journal of Human Kinetics found core strength, mobility and stability to reduce knee and ankle injuries)
• 🏋 Exercises like squats, clams and glute bridges can teach you to switch on your glutes and hammies
• 🎯 Putting more focus on the above (plus things like strapping and massage) before ovulation when oestrogen peaks.
  

The good news is reversing the odds of injury doesn’t take much.

One review found 3x 10-minute sessions a week reduced knee injury by 45% and overall injury by 27%.

The Female Body Bible suggests short programs like this and this.

But I’d also include exercises from Ben Patrick’s Knee Ability Zero program (which can you also find all over his IG and YT).

If you’re active (particularly if you play sports like rugby and soccer that require change of direction), introducing some of this into your week could help keep you out there doing what you love.