Filed Under (ACL Injury, Knee Injury, Knee Pain) by Rick Kaselj on 07-09-2010
Here is part 5 of my knee pain and knee injury series.
If you missed part 1, you can see it here. If you missed part 2, you can see it here. If you missed part 3, you can see it here. If you missed part 4, you can see it here.
Risk Factors and Incidence
It is estimated that the overall ACL injury rate in the United States is about 200,000 annually. This figure suggests that 1 in 300,000 individuals in the U.S. will sustain an ACL injury for the first time each year. ACL injuries commonly occur between the ages of 14 and 29 years, occurring in non-athletes and athletes. Those engaged in football, soccer, basketball, soccer and skiing activities are the most susceptible to ACL injury in the athlete group.
Female athletes are more susceptible to ACL injuries than male athletes performing similar sporting activities and training. It is estimated that female athletes are 2 to 8 times more likely to sustain ACL injuries when compared with their male counterparts (Souryal & Adams, 2009).
Many factors have been attributed to the increased susceptibility of women to ACL injuries. Females have a narrower femoral notch, or the space at the bottom of the thigh bone where the ACL runs. This tight fit may cause increased friction between the ACL and femur during knee movements. Another possible cause is the greater Q angle, or the angle between the quadriceps and the patella tendon, in women. A larger angle is partly caused by a woman’s wider pelvis. This increases the risk for greater stress and ACL injuries. Other factors include increased joint laxity, inadequate strength and impaired neuromuscular coordination.
