Can training and technology solve the ACL crisis in women's football?

MANCHESTER, England :The dreaded torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) regularly makes headlines in women's football, but experts say there are prevention programmes that can cut the incidence rates in half or better.

Anybody who has been to an elite-level match will have spotted the traditional "hip out" football warmup drill, where a player lifts a knee and rotates their hip outward while walking.

Implementing that drill and others like it into training and match warmups can drastically reduce ACL injuries, according to programmes such as FIFA's 11+ and the Swedish Knee Control Programme (KCP).

This is significant for girls and women in particular, considering they are up to eight times more likely to tear their ACL - and the younger players start, the better.

"It's pretty clear that these programmes have the capacity to reduce the incidence of all lower-limb injuries, but ACL injuries specifically," said Carly McKay, Director of Research at Podium Analytics and Reader at the University of Bath.

"But it depends on the dose. If you do it two or three times per week, and you have to keep doing it for the duration of a season, some studies have reported up to a 70 per cent reduction. So they work really well. The problem is you have to keep doing them."

FIFA's 11+ and the KCP are neuromuscular training programmes, with a series of exercises that take about 15 minutes to complete. FIFA also has a children's version for players under 14.

Research around the cause of ACL tears is ongoing, although the general consensus is it is multi-faceted.

Everything from the quality of pitches and access to physiotherapy to hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle and properly-fitting boots and sports bras are part of the conversation.