Football Australia head calls for more research into ACL injuries in the women’s game

Football Australia's Sarah Walsh calls for more research into ACL injuries within women’s football. 

Walsh is a former Australia international with 70 international caps and suffered serious knee injuries herself. Walsh said “For a long time, women have been treated like little men. There is a real lack of research. The entire high-performance environment is built around men - designed by men for men. I would have loved to have known if my menstrual cycle had contributed to any one of my knee reconstructions. We haven't even scratched the surface and it is a hundred years of underinvestment in women's football that has brought us to this point, where we have lost a number of different players for this World Cup, which is a shame that we won't get to see them. I think at the heart of the issue is not [the kit] manufacturers, it is actually research.”

England stars Beth Mead and Leah Williamson will miss this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand due to ACL injuries. With fellow Arsenal team mate and Netherlands star Vivianne Miedema also missing because of an ACL injury. The research that has been undertaken so far suggests suggest women are two to eight times more likely to suffer ACL injuries compared to men in the same sport and 25% less likely to return after recovery. However, not enough research has been conducted to show what the reason for this is with some speculating it is due to the menstrual cycle and fluctuating hormones whilst others believe women not having specific kit plays a factor.