ACL Injury: A Growing Concern for Athletes Across All Sports

Understanding the Growing Impact of ACL Injuries

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries have emerged as one of the most significant concerns in sports medicine, affecting athletes from high school playing fields to professional stadiums. Recent high-profile cases have brought renewed attention to this devastating injury, which can sideline athletes for 6-12 months and potentially alter the trajectory of their careers.

From 2007 to 2022, the average annual ACL injury rate among high school athletes grew 25.9% to 7.3 injuries per 100,000 athlete exposures, signalling an alarming trend that demands immediate attention from athletes, coaches, and sports medicine professionals.

High-Profile ACL Injuries Highlight the Issue

December 2025 proved particularly devastating for professional athletes. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, marking the first time the star quarterback has been eliminated from playoffs in his career. Mahomes successfully underwent surgery in Dallas with Dr. Dan Cooper to repair the tear, and ACL tears generally sideline athletes anywhere from 6-12 months.

In another blow to playoff contenders, Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons will miss the rest of the 2025 season with a torn ACL, which he suffered against the Denver Broncos. These injuries underscore the unpredictable nature of ACL tears, which can occur in a single moment and dramatically alter a team’s season.

Why ACL Injury Rates Are Rising

The increase in ACL injuries, particularly among younger athletes, has multiple contributing factors. As athletes have become stronger and the number of games they’re playing has increased, the incidence of ACL tears also has increased, with athletes generating much higher forces while their ligaments remain the same size.

Gender disparities remain significant. Injury incidence was higher in female athletes (0.14 per 1000 player-hours) than male athletes (0.05 per 1000 player-hours), with 57.5% of all ACL injuries in girls sports being non-contact, compared to 39.7% in boys sports. These non-contact injuries typically occur during pivoting, landing from jumps, or sudden direction changes.

Recovery and Long-Term Implications

While modern surgical techniques have improved outcomes, ACL injuries carry serious long-term implications. ACL injuries place a patient at risk for early osteoarthritis and chronic pain 10 to 20 years after the injury. Tottenham midfielder James Maddison revealed that the psychological consequences of his ACL injury were probably just the same as the physical effects, highlighting the mental health challenges athletes face during recovery.

Success rates vary: 85% of patients return to their previous activity level post-surgery, though only 55% return to competitive sports. Early return increases risk, as young athletes who return to sport before 9 months after ACL reconstruction have a rate of new ACL injury 7 times that of those who delay return.

Prevention and Looking Forward

With ACL injuries affecting 1 in 3,500 people annually and rates continuing to climb, prevention efforts have become paramount. Sports most affected include soccer, basketball, football, and skiing, where rapid direction changes and pivoting movements are common. As awareness grows and research continues, the sports medicine community remains focused on developing effective injury prevention programmes and improving rehabilitation protocols to help athletes return safely to the sports they love.