Studying the link between ACL injuries, menstruation, and women’s football (soccer) is critically important for several reasons—both scientifically and for the future of athlete care:

⚽ 1. Female Footballers Are at Significantly Higher Risk of ACL Injury

Women are 4–6 times more likely to tear their ACLs than men in comparable sports. In elite women’s football, ACL tears are common and often career-altering. Understanding why this disparity exists is essential to prevention.

🩸 2. Hormonal Fluctuations May Impact Ligament Vulnerability

Hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, may influence:

• Ligament laxity (more joint looseness = less stability)

• Neuromuscular control (reaction times and coordination)

• Muscle stiffness and firing patterns

Studying this connection could help identify specific times in the cycle when athletes are most vulnerable to injury—enabling smarter training decisions.

🧬 3. Paves the Way for Personalized, Gender-Informed Injury Prevention

Currently, most injury prevention protocols are based on male physiology. This research supports:

• Cycle-aware training and load management

• Individualized rehab and return-to-play timelines

• New protocols for warm-ups and neuromuscular control

🚺 4. It Elevates Women’s Sport Through Evidence-Based Support

For years, female athletes have been underrepresented in sports science. FIFA’s funding of this study at Kingston University sends a strong message: Women deserve data-driven care and training that reflects their biology—not just scaled-down men’s programs.

📈 5. Potential to Influence Policy and Professional Practices

If the research confirms strong links, it could lead to:

• Club-level menstrual tracking policies

• Medical and coaching teams using cycle data to guide play/rest

• Improved ACL injury prevention programs at youth and elite levels

In summary, this study represents a major step toward protecting the health and longevity of female footballers—by blending science, sport, and gender-specific understanding to reduce preventable injury.