Embedded Files
"The Science of Movement: Exploring Biomechanical Factors"
Due to biomechanical differences in the knee, females are more likely to experience an ACL tear than males.
“When women land, it’s usually in an upright posture, resulting in straighter knees and less core engagement. This is different from men who usually land with bent knees and with more core engagement.”
This quote highlights a key difference in landing mechanics between women and men that contributes to the higher risk of ACL injuries in female athletes. When women land in an upright posture with straighter knees, it places more direct force on the knee joint, especially the ACL, rather than distributing the impact through the muscles and joints. This type of landing reduces the involvement of major muscle groups like the glutes and hamstrings, which help stabilize the knee.
Knee Valgus (inward collapse)
Females often land from jumps or cut with more knee valgus (knees collapsing inward), which places a ton of stress on the ACL.
Males tend to have better hip control and less medial knee displacement.
Hip and Core Stability
Females usually have weaker glute medius and core stabilizers, which can lead to poor control of hip internal rotation and adduction, and more stress on the knee joint.
Poor hip control = more likelihood of that dangerous valgus position
3. Quadriceps vs. Hamstring Dominance
Females tend to be more quad-dominant, meaning they use their quads more than their hamstrings to decelerate or stabilize.
4. Landing Mechanisms
Females more often land with:
Straighter knees (less flexion)
More vertical ground reaction forces
Less trunk flexion
These all combine to shift stress to the ACL.
Page updated
Report abuse