03/26/2025
Could Strong DEI Policies Have Prevented Juju Watkins from Tearing Her ACL?
Yesterday, while chatting with a friend , the conversation ended with me connecting the proverbial DEI dots as it often does.
As a huge basketball fan, watching Juju Watkins tear her ACL during March Madness was heartbreaking. But what does this have to do with DEI?
Strong DEI practices address disparities—they look at data to see if specific groups are experiencing worse outcomes than others.
When it comes to ACL injuries, the data tells us that women are two to eight times more likely to suffer these injuries than men. (As a practitioner and researcher, I'm interested if race impacts these numbers, but I was unable to find a definitive answer).
Some of the NCAA's biggest stars like Juju, Paige Bueckers, and Ashlyn Watkins have torn their ACLs.
But why?
- Women’s wider hips increase stress on the ACL during movements like pivoting and landing.
- The smaller groove where the ACL attaches in women’s femurs makes it more susceptible to injury.
- Estrogen can increase ligament laxity, making ACLs more prone to injury, especially during certain phases of the menstrual cycle.
- Women generally have less hamstring and glute strength than men, contributing to knee instability.
This is just the start.
So, what can we do about it?
If NCAA programs and coaches took a DEI approach, we could use this data to prevent injuries.
This could include:
- Targeted muscle strength training for women, especially in hamstrings and glutes.
- Neuromuscular control training to improve knee stability.
- Customized injury prevention programs based on each player’s unique physiology.
This is a prime example of why organizations must understand how DEI impacts their constituents and act on the data to create safer, more equitable environments.
Let’s talk about how you can use DEI to improve outcomes in your organization—whether it’s on the court or in the workplace. DM me to learn how we can create actionable DEI strategies that truly make a difference.
