29/03/2026
Important…. Even at adolescence when puberty really starts.
Make sure young female athletes are learning how to load their muscles and joint properly rather than just running and speed drills.
🚨 ACL injuries in female footy players aren’t just “one of those things”… 🚨
If you’re playing or coaching, this is something you need to take seriously.
Female athletes are significantly more prone to ACL injuries — but here’s the part most people miss:
👉 Many of these injuries are NON-contact… and highly preventable with the right training.
💡 So what should you actually be doing?
The research and top strength & conditioning coaches all point to a simple (but often overlooked) approach:
✅ 1. Prioritise single-leg strength
Footy is rarely played evenly on two legs. Every sprint, step, cut, and kick is dominated by one leg at a time.
Single-leg training:
✔ Improves balance & control
✔ Strengthens key hip stabilisers
✔ Reduces load and stress transferred to the knee
👉 Strong, stable hips = safer, more controlled knees
✅ 2. Train landing & deceleration (plyometrics)
Most ACL injuries don’t happen from contact…
They happen when you:
❌ Land poorly
❌ Decelerate under control
❌ Change direction quickly
That means you need to train:
➡️ Landing mechanics
➡️ Braking ability
➡️ Change of direction control
👉 It’s not just about jumping high — it’s about landing safely
✅ 3. Get out of the “straight-line” trap
A huge issue in most programs is being too focused on forward/backward (sagittal plane) training
But injuries often occur in:
➡️ Side-to-side movement (frontal plane)
➡️ Rotational movement (transverse plane)
👉 If you’re not training these, you’re missing a major piece of the puzzle
🧠 4. Build neuromuscular control (the hidden factor)
After puberty, many female athletes experience reduced neuromuscular control — especially in the lower body.
This means:
❌ Less control of knee position
❌ Poorer movement under fatigue
❌ Higher injury risk
The solution?
👉 Consistent exposure to the right strength + movement training
🏋️♀️ 5. Don’t ignore core & hip stability
A lot of knee issues actually start higher up the chain
Weakness or instability in the:
➡️ Core
➡️ Hips (lumbo-pelvic region)
…can lead to poor control further down at the knee and ankle.
👉 Fix the source, not just the symptom
🔥 The bottom line
If your current training looks like:
❌ Mostly double-leg lifts
❌ Straight-line running
❌ Little to no landing/deceleration work
❌ Minimal focus on hip stability
Then you’re leaving yourself (or your players) exposed.
💬 For players: This is about performance AND longevity
💬 For coaches: This should be built into every session — not just pre-season
Even adding small amounts of this work into:
✔ Strength sessions
✔ Warm-ups
✔ Conditioning
…can make a massive difference over time.
👉 Want the full breakdown + how to actually apply this properly in your program?
Read the full article here https://australianfootballstrengthcoach.com.au/acl-injury-females-part-2/
