What

What's Their Secret?

Washington University Women's Soccer is Successful in Prevention of ACL Tears

Here's some interesting statistics to think about:

the most common injuries for female soccer players are: 31% sprains, 29.1% general trauma, and 24.5% strains
soccer injuries occur most often to: ankle/foot 30.5%, hip/thigh/leg 26.9%, and knee 17.6%
in an NATA Injury Surveillance Study, released in 1999, of all high school sports, the highest frequency of knee injuries appeared in girls’ soccer (19.4%)
women are 2-8 times more likely to tear their ACLs in sports such as basketball and soccer
females are 5 times more likely to suffer significant knee injury than their male counterparts
the incidence of ACL ruptures is at an astounding 350,000 annually
each year, 1 in 100 high school female athletes and 1 in 10 college female athletes will experience ACL injury
NCAA stats tell us in any given year, 2,200 collegiate female athletes will rupture their ACL
ACL injury rates are so high in college female soccer players that they translate into nearly one ACL injury for every women’s NCAA soccer team every year
each ACL rupture costs approximately $25,000, with high schools & colleges spending about $100 million annually on reconstruction surgeries for female athletes alone

This does not bode well for our female soccer athletes. Research tells us the differences could be hormonal (predisposition during ovulation), anatomical (greater Q-angle, “knock-knees”, & smaller femoral notches), and neuromuscular (less hamstring recruitment during jump landing and deceleration). With the incidence of ACL ruptures at an astounding 350,000 annually, the fact that the Washington University Women’s Soccer Team has had only two* (see below) in five seasons is astounding. In fact after you read the clarification below*, it is accurate to report that those who fully participated in the team program from the 2002 to 2006 seasons, have had NO ACL TEARS and suffered far fewer injuries than the their NCAA opponents.

They have a secret, but the word is spreading! The 2006 NCAA Sectional Semifinalists follow a strict regimen devoted solely to injury prevention, especially season-threatening (or ending) ACL ruptures, ankle sprains/fractures, and muscle strains. The program was initiated in the 2002 season by assistant coach and Khazen AthletiKare owner Lori Khazen, and the team has flourished since. It is simply 20min of intense on-field work during each practice with a combo of weight room & on-field work in the off- and pre-seasons.

The overall injury rate has dramatically decreased, with the incidence of ACL rupture in the five seasons obliterated. And the “byproducts”? —dramatic gains in strength, muscular endurance, speed, quickness, agility, power, and flexibility. UAA Conference Championships and trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2003, 2004, & 2006—we’re doing something right!

*The two athletes who experienced a rupture of the ACL (in 2002 & 2006) did not fully participate in the team's injury prevention program. The 2002 ACL tear was in the first few weeks of the program installment and therefore not yet effective for that athlete. The 2006 ACL tear was in an athlete who refused to participate fully in the team's injury prevention program, specifically the jump training portion (arguably the most important part of the program!). This refusal of participation in the jump training was sadly recommended to her by her previous physical therapist following her 1st ACL tear, and she could not be convinced otherwise to participate.