Knee Injuries: ACL Tears and Patellofemoral Pathology

Abstract

Female athletes are at a greater risk of knee injuries than males, which has been attributed to anatomic, biologic, and kinematic risk factors. Knee conditions such as anterior cruciate ligament tears and patellofemoral disorders are more commonly reported in females. There exist sex-specific differences in anatomy that may influence assessment and surgical treatment of knee injuries, such as intercondylar width in the case of ACL injuries and different numerical thresholds for defining trochlear dysplasia in patellar instability. In addition, female athletes may benefit from targeted rehabilitation and injury prevention programs that focus on sex-specific kinetic training to optimize dynamic muscular control, motion pattern techniques, and fatiguability. Postoperative rehabilitation with a specific focus on minimizing kinesiophobia and addressing psychological readiness for return to sport during rehabilitation may increase rates of return to play in female athletes followinginjury. Rates of return to play at the same competitive level following knee injuries are currently reported to be generally similar between male and female athletes, however, the types of sports in which female athletes participate continue to evolve. Continued research is needed to understand sex-specific considerations in the evaluation and treatment of knee injuries in this evolving population.