The Real Reason Young Female Athletes Are Getting More ACL Injuries
Adolescent girls are tearing ACLs at alarming rates, particularly in soccer, but the explanation most people reach for is wrong. According to strength coach and former All-American soccer player Erica Mulholland, the problem has far less to do with female anatomy or hormones than most people think.
In this episode, Erica Mulholland joins hosts Andrew Rizza and Dr. Cameron Roth for a discussion on ACL injuries, strength training, long-term athletic development, and the growing pressures facing young female athletes.
Drawing on her experience as a collegiate athlete, semi-professional player in Brazil, and author of the book Female Athlete, Mulholland explains why strength training remains the single biggest missing piece in a female athlete’s development. She challenges popular misconceptions around biomechanics and menstrual cycles, arguing that poor mechanics are often the result of fatigue and inadequate physical preparation, not the root cause of injury itself.
The conversation also explores the role of parents and coaches in youth sports, the dangers of overscheduling young athletes, and why one well-designed strength session per week can completely change an athlete’s trajectory.
MEET THE GUEST
Erica Mulholland
- Former All-American Soccer Player - Johns Hopkins University
- Strength & Conditioning Coach
- Author: Female Athlete
TOPICS DISCUSSED
- Why ACL injuries in girls are more about load management than anatomy
- Why strength training is essential for adolescent female athletes
- What a well-designed in-season strength programme looks like
- The biggest myths surrounding menstrual cycles and ACL injuries
- How coaches and parents can better support young athletes
- Load management, recovery, sleep, and nutrition for injury prevention
HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 – Intro
00:52 – Why ACL Injuries Are So Prevalent in Young Female Athletes
03:57 – Sponsor: Boston Orthopedics and Wellness | Beck Bode
05:29 – The Impact of Year-Round Youth Sports
08:24 – What Needs to Change: Parents, Coaches & Administration
14:47 – What a Typical Training Session Looks Like
17:33 – Are We Overcomplicating ACL Prevention?
21:54 – Getting Buy-In from Coaches, Athletic Directors & Parents
25:27 – American vs. International Approaches to the Weight Room
27:18 – What Separates a Good Strength Coach from a Bad One
28:48 – Training for Endurance in Soccer Athletes
30:11 – What Coaches Should Look for in a Strength Training
32:21 – When to Start Talking Nutrition and Sleep
34:28 – Nutrition and Supplements for Teens
38:05 – Best Technology Tools for Assessing Athletes
40:30 – Key Takeaways From the Female Athlete
45:06 – What Parents Should Prioritize & What Coaches Should Stop Overlooking
46:34 – Lightning Round: ACL Reconstruction, Load Management, etc
48:57 – Addressing Body Image Fears in the Weight Room
50:19 – Other Common Injuries in Young Female Athletes
52:45 – The Rise of Compartment Syndrome
QUOTES:
01:04 - “We used to think it was just a female issue that, girls have wider hips or a larger Q angle and they had different mechanics than males, or there's hormonal factors at play — But it's really more a training load problem.”
06:40 - “I think parents fall into the trap that if they're not on the top team, they're not playing year round, they're not doing skill sessions year round, that their kid will fall behind, and they're not going to be on the top team when they hit puberty. Well, that's not the truth.”
LINKS
Erica Mulholland - https://ericasuter.com
Female Athlete High Performance: Building Fast, Strong, and Powerful Female Athletes
- https://www.amazon.com/Female-Athlete-High-Performance-Building/dp/B0CN8NJF2F
PlayerPulse - https://playerpulseapp.com
RELATED EPISODES
The Surgeon Who Saved Sports - Meet Dr. Andrews - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkvI56ZiabA&t
SPONSORS
- Boston Orthopedics and Wellness helps you recover faster, move better, and perform at your best with advanced orthopedic and wellness care. Get 15% off your first visit: https://www.bostonorthopedicandwellness.com/
- Beck Bode is a fee-only fiduciary firm that builds personalized roadmaps to keep your money aligned with your life goals. See what real planning looks like at https://beckbode.com
DISCLAIMER
The opinions presented on Behind the Sports Medicine are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any affiliated institutions or partners. The content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a licensed medical professional before making any health or treatment decisions. Behind the Sports Medicine and its affiliates assume no liability for the accuracy or application of the information discussed.
#FemaleAthlete #ACLPrevention #YouthSports #WomensSoccer #StrengthAndConditioning
