The ACL is one of the four ligaments in the knee that stabilize it. Doctor Miho Tanaka said, “It is very common for women, four to eight times more common than it is for men to tear theirs.”

I have had two ACL surgeries in the past two years from soccer. Tanak said, “After one has torn their ACL, the chance of re-tearing it is six times greater and 16 times more likely to tear in the other knee.”

The bodies of men and women are built up differently. Women have less hamstring strength than men. Which leads to making the knee unstable, allowing it to give out during movement.

After having a hard workout all you can think about is when you get to go home but that is when you are at the highest risk of having an injury. You stop consecrating on your form getting lazy, losing balance.

There is a certain time that women are endanger of having this injury, “studies have shown women seen to become more susceptible in injury in the first part of their cycle before ovulation,” said Boden.

The way women come down after a jump and moving from side to side without having complete balance does not help the knee. “ Women run and cut sharply in a more erect posture than men, while also bending their knees less when landing from a jump,” said Boden.

I tore mine by landing wrong and a girl running and hitting my knee, I did not have the balance to support myself. Having this happen allowed my knee to buckle.

There are certain exercises you can do that I do now that will not completely save you from tearing your ACL but it will help. Just taking a few minutes to stretch real well, and strengthening the muscles around the knee.

Researchers have found that if women focus on certain things they have a less percentage of tearing it. “Women should be concentrate on drinking enough water and eating a well balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, low fat proteins and whole grains,” said Tanaka.

After you get an MRI depending on the sport you play could determine if want to have the surgery or not. Jogging, swimming and biking places less pressure on the ACL but soccer, baseball and volleyball involve cutting, planting and chasing directions putting a lot of pressure.

After I tore my ACL, my teammates and friends were tearing theirs too. Morgan on my team was at our last practice until we left for Indiana for nationals, she was leaving for college July 31 on a soccer scholarship and turned the wrong way and blew her ACL. Sophie who tripped and tore hers.

These injuries can happen at any time sadly.

I lost all my muscle after my surgeries, my family would tell me my leg looked and felt like jello. Eighteen months off of soccer, you look at my legs now they still are not the same size. I have come a long ways since my injury, I am playing on a competitive team with no pain.