The FA and WSL Football have unveiled a sweeping study to decode why ACL tears hit the women’s game and how to cut them down.
Backed by the FA, the PhD project with Imperial College London and knee surgeon Simon Ball will be steered by Hanna Lehtovirta and will draw in clubs from both the WSL and WSL 2.
ACL tears rank among the gravest threats in women’s soccer, often sidelining athletes for months.
Data show female players face two‑to‑six‑fold higher odds of an ACL tear than men.
Stars such as Vivianne Miedema, Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Sam Kerr have all endured the injury in recent seasons.
Earlier work flagged anatomy, hormones, biomechanics and environment as risk cues, yet little is known about how they blend in elite daily routines.
The aim is to deliver perhaps the most exhaustive look at women’s ACL trauma by merging hard science with player and staff narratives.
Every WSL and WSL 2 squad will be invited, together with their medical, performance and coaching personnel.
Research will roll out in two distinct phases.
Phase one relies on player questionnaires covering injury history, training and match loads, plus hormonal, nutritional and psychological variables.
Responses from athletes who suffered ACL tears since the 2018‑19 season will be matched against those who haven’t.
Phase two shifts to interviews, probing how players and staff perceive ACL risks and current training or prevention tactics.
Investigators hope the output will steer future prevention, rehab and welfare policies across the women’s game.
With FIFA also backing a 2025 study on menstrual cycle hormones and ACL spikes, will the combined insights finally slash injury rates?