Hey everyone, I'm just curious, what are the most common sports that girls participate in during high school that might be more prone to ACL injuries? I'm fairly active and I want to make sure I choose something that won't put me at a high risk.
ACL injuries are unfortunately quite common in high school sports, especially ones that involve a lot of running, jumping, and sudden changes in direction. For high school-aged girls, the sports that typically see the highest rates of ACL injuries are soccer, basketball, and gymnastics.
Soccer, with its rapid stops and starts and aggressive pivoting, can put a lot of strain on the knee. Basketball similarly requires a lot of quick direction changes, as well as a lot of jumping, which can also lead to ACL injuries when landing incorrectly. Gymnastics, due to its high level of jumping and heavy impact on landing, also sees a fair amount of ACL injuries.
That being said, participating in these sports doesn't automatically mean you'll injure your ACL. Proper conditioning, strength training (particularly of the muscles around the knee), learning the correct techniques and form, and wearing appropriate gear can all help reduce the risk.
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