CNN reports on why female soccer players suffer more ACL injuries than male counterparts and what can be done about it.

After seeing the headlines of how many of the world’s top players are missing out on this year’s Women’s World Cup — including two from the US team — it’s hard not to think of this injury as an inevitable part of the sport, especially as a woman.

Different studies have found female athletes are two to eight times more likely than their male counterparts to tear their ACLs.

“This issue has been around for a long time, it’s gotten worse and worse,” said Andrew D. Pearle, MD, chief of sports medicine at HSS. 

Over a 10-year period, Dr. Pearle says he saw a 300% increase in ACL injuries in adolescents.

So while the injuries among top professional players have brought this issue into the spotlight, Dr. Pearle said the highest incidences are still in high school athletes — and he is seeing increasing numbers in middle school-age athletes.

Dr. Pearle said this is why parents need to be aware that these injury prevention programs exist.

“If you got a girl’s soccer team, you’d say to the coach or the sports organization, OK, what’s your neuromuscular training plan? What are you guys doing for it? You know, that should be a question that everybody asks,” Dr. Pearle explained.

Read the full article at CNN.com.