The Women’s Super League (WSL) is grappling with an alarming trend: a spate of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, leaving star players sidelined and raising concerns about the safety and well-being of female athletes.
Just weeks into the new season, the list of WSL players suffering ACL tears continues to grow. Liverpool’s Sofie Lundgaard, Everton’s Inma Gabarro and Aurora Galli, and Chelsea’s Jorja Fox and Sophie Ingle are all expected to miss the entire season.
This alarming trend has prompted the global players’ union FIFPRO to raise the alarm. “There has basically been one ACL injury per round of fixtures,” said Alex Culvin, FIFPRO’s Director of Global Policy & Strategic Relations, Women’s Football.
In April, FIFPRO, Nike, and Leeds Beckett University launched Project ACL, a three-year study dedicated to understanding the complex factors that contribute to the higher rate of ACL injuries in female players. The project aims to move beyond simply looking at anatomical differences and explore the broader environmental, training, and playing conditions that could be contributing to the problem.
“Last year, in the men’s Premier League, there were only 10 ACL injuries in total over 38 weeks,” Culvin pointed out, highlighting the stark contrast in injury rates between men and women in professional football.
Culvin emphasizes the need to consider multiple factors, dismissing simplistic explanations often attributed to the issue. “Everyone says it’s because women’s hips are different, or their running gait is different, or it’s the boots,” she said. “You can’t just point to one thing.”
Project ACL has already revealed a significant lack of research focusing on professional female athletes. “It’s frustrating because there’s just not enough research on professional female players,” Culvin shared, noting that only 6-8% of all sports science research is dedicated to women.
Poor playing surfaces are a common complaint among WSL players. “If you’re classing these players as professional footballers, they should have the highest standards possible to perform and can look after their health and safety while they’re on the pitch,” Culvin said.
Project ACL aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for minimum standards that the PFA can advocate for across the league, improving training facilities, access to physiotherapy, and overall player health and safety. This includes addressing issues like access to swimming pools, hydrotherapy, and qualified massage therapists – essential resources for optimal recovery and injury prevention.
While the concern over ACL injuries is real, UEFA, European football’s governing body, has stated that no data supports the claim of an increase in ACL injuries among elite women’s footballers.
However, UEFA acknowledges the concern, emphasizing that misinformation surrounding the injury could discourage young girls from playing football. They are conducting surveys and developing consensus statements on ACL injury prevention and management to guide medical professionals and coaches. Additionally, they are launching a campaign on ACL injury prevention ahead of the Women’s Euro 2025 tournament in Switzerland.
With numerous WSL players still recovering from ACL injuries sustained last season, the challenge of understanding and addressing this issue remains significant.
This investigation into the alarming rise of ACL injuries in the WSL is only beginning. It is a crucial step towards ensuring the safety and well-being of female athletes and fostering a more equitable and sustainable future for women’s football.