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22/07/2026

The injury that is causing growing concern in women's sports

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are becoming increasingly common among young female athletes. Understanding why this happens is the first step toward preventing and treating these injuries properly.

More and more girls and teenagers are participating in sports on a regular basis and at a more competitive level. This is, without a doubt, excellent news. However, this increase in sports participation has also brought with it a reality that concerns specialists, coaches, and families: the rise in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, especially among female athletes.

Dr. Gorka Knörr, head of the Pediatric Orthopedics Unit at MiKS Hospital, recently reflected on this phenomenon in an article published by El Correo and written by journalist Ixone Díaz Landaluce, in which he analyzes the causes of this higher incidence and the keys to preventing it.

Soccer and basketball: the sports with the highest incidence of injuries

As Dr. Knörr explains in the report, soccer and basketball are, by far, the sports in which girls are most likely to suffer injuries.

In these sports, an anterior cruciate ligament tear usually occurs during a rotational movement with the foot planted on the ground. In some cases, the injury may be accompanied by damage to the meniscus or other knee ligaments, complicating both treatment and recovery.

The symptoms are usually very characteristic: a popping sound at the moment of injury, rapid swelling of the knee, a feeling of instability, and an inability to continue playing sports.

In growing patients, not everything goes

One of the messages Dr. Gorka Knörr is most eager to convey is that children are not just small adults.

When an anterior cruciate ligament tear affects a person who is still growing, treatment must be tailored to very specific anatomical and biological characteristics. Surgery must preserve the growth plate, as damage to this structure could lead to abnormalities in bone development.

Furthermore, as the specialist explains in the report, there are anatomical differences and variations in joint laxity that require the surgical technique to be tailored to each patient. Therefore, expertise in pediatric orthopedics and trauma is essential for planning the treatment of these injuries during the growth phase.

The Pediatric Orthopedics Unit at MiKS Hospital, led by Dr. Gorka Knörr along with Dr. Lucía Guidali and Dr. Xabier Sansinanea, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders during childhood and adolescence, offering an approach tailored to the specific needs of growing patients.

Prevention is also part of treatment

Although not all injuries can be prevented, we now know that there are prevention programs capable of significantly reducing the risk.

Exercises to improve jumping and landing technique, strengthen the muscles that stabilize the knee, work on balance and proprioception, and wear appropriate footwear are all part of programs such as FIFA 11+, whose effectiveness has been widely demonstrated.

Investing time in prevention not only reduces the risk of injury but also helps you enjoy the sport more safely.

The full article

Dr. Gorka Knörr addresses this issue in the article “The Epidemic Threatening Female Athletes: Why Their Knees Are Giving Out More Often,” published in El Correo and written by journalist Ixone Díaz Landaluce.

The article is available to subscribers in the digital edition of El Correo at the following link. Only in spanish

https://www.elcorreo.com/vivir/bienestar/epidemia-amenaza-deportistas-rodillas-rompen-20260609001055-ntrc.html