New research project launched to prevent ACL injuries in Women’s Super League

A new three-year project aimed at researching anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention in female footballers has been launched in the Women’s Super League, following a string of high-profile injuries.

The project, named ‘Project ACL’, is a collaboration between the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), Fifpro, Nike, and Leeds Beckett University. It will focus on environmental factors that increase the risk of ACL injuries in female footballers.

Research suggests that female footballers are two to six times more likely to suffer ACL injuries than their male counterparts. The recent ACL injuries suffered by top players like Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema and Chelsea’s Sam Kerr have highlighted the need for further investigation into prevention strategies.

Dr Stacey Emmonds, an expert in Sports Performance at Leeds Beckett University, emphasized the importance of addressing environmental factors in the women’s game to reduce injury risks. She believes that with the growing professionalization of women’s football, there should be a decline in ACL injury rates.

Former England defender Fern Whelan, now a women’s football executive at the PFA, stressed the importance of player welfare and the need for more research in response to players’ concerns.

England defender Lucy Bronze also emphasized the importance of player feedback in the research process, stating that players are the ones who ultimately go through these injuries and their voices need to be heard.

The ‘Project ACL’ initiative aims to provide valuable insights into ACL injury prevention in female footballers and ultimately create a safer and more sustainable environment for players in the Women’s Super League and beyond.