A Survey of Injuries to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament of the Knee in Female Basketball Players

TLDR

Potential causes of ACL injury in female basketball players include player position, joint laxity, weak quadriceps, and hormonal factors. The study surveyed 76 female basketball injuries over 30 months at a sports medicine clinic, assessing 151 males and 76 females for age, height, weight, alignment, injury mechanism, playing position, experience, training, and prior injuries. ACL ruptures comprised 25 % of all basketball injuries, with the knee being the most common site (72 %), and females experienced 19 ACL ruptures compared to 4 in males.

Abstract

This study surveyed 76 female basketball-related injuries that occurred during a 30-month period at the B.C. Sports Medicine Clinic. The knee was the most common site of injury (72%), and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture accounted for 25% of all basketball injuries seen. A total of 19 ACL ruptures in females were seen as compared to only 4 ACL ruptures in male basketball players during the same time period. During this time period a total of 151 males and 76 female basketball players were seen. Each patient was assessed as to age, height, weight, and alignment and questioned as to mechanism of injury, playing position, experience, and training plus previous injuries. Possible etiological factors postulated included player position, joint laxity, weak quadriceps mechanism, and a possible hormonal basis.