Anatomic Factors that May Predispose Female Athletes to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Female athletes are 2 to 10 times more likely to injure their anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) than male athletes. There has been greater recognition of this gender discrepancy because female participation in competitive athletics has increased. Previous investigators have divided risk factors into hormonal, neuromuscular response, and anatomic subgroups. Gender variation within these groups may help explain the higher incidence of ACL injury in women. The purpose of this article is to review research examining female-specific anatomy that may predispose women to ACL injury. Specifically, we discuss how women may have increased tibial and meniscal slopes, narrower femoral notches, and smaller ACL, which may place the ACL at risk from injury. These anatomic factors, combined with other female-specific risk factors, may help physicians and researchers better understand why women appear to be more prone to ACL injury.