Citation

Shultz SJ, Pietrosimone B. J. Athl. Train. 2022; 57(9-10): 828-829.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, National Athletic Trainers' Association (USA))

DOI

10.4085/1062-6050-1004.22

PMID

36638342

Abstract

Secular trends over the past 2 decades indicate that an increasing number of younger patients (10–19 years) are being diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and seeking ACL reconstruction compared with adults.1–4 These ACL injuries typically begin to occur around age 11 and then increase steadily until ages 17 to 19.5 Such trends are particularly concerning for young females, who are more likely to injure their ACL earlier in life (the peak is at approximately 14–18 years old) versus similarly trained males (whose peak is around 19–25 years old)6 and subsequently are more likely to suffer a secondary ACL injury and injury-related disability early in the lifespan.7,8

Despite these well-established and concerning trends, a current PubMed search revealed that only 15% of papers published on ACL injury (nonsurgical) focused on the pediatric population. This begs the question: if the adolescent years are such a critical time for injuring the ACL, why do we continue to preferentially focus our efforts on studying adult ACL-injured populations?

Primary injury risk assessment and timely prevention remain paramount if we are to lessen the long-term effects of ACL injury. Although we know that many of the physical risk factors associated with ACL injury develop or change (both within and between sexes) during physical maturation, we have yet to identify at the individual level who is likely to become injured, how the injury is likely to occur, and when that risk first develops. Moreover, our previous focus has been primarily on physical risk factors, and we are just beginning to understand the role of neurocognitive factors in primary injury risk and prevention. Addressing these knowledge gaps is crucial if we are to take more of a precision medicine approach to ACL injury-prevention programs (IPPs) for the pediatric athlete, which have been slow to evolve over the past several years ...

Language: en