By: Elle Fair ’19

One loud snap, a hard slam onto the field and suddenly the future of a high school athlete can drastically change. The overwhelming and disturbing feeling of an ACL tear is becoming more common for high school athletes around the country.
According to an article on Trib Live, “The ACL is composed of two parts: the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles which both function in providing stabilization,” Dr. Freddie Fu, chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Medical Center, said. “ACL tears occur when the bundles’ work is compromised by either an external force or muscular imbalance.”
In other words, the injury can occur when one leg is put under extreme stress going against the ACL’s functions. A pop, crucial pain and a feeling of defeatism are common descriptions of ACL injuries.
Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that the rate of ACL tears in high school athletes and adolescents has increased 2.3 percent in the past two decades. Tim Taylor, a former Marine Corp fitness instructor, and current personal trainer for many Staples athletes at Athletic Performance Center in Norwalk, Connecticut, explains the reasoning for an increase in ACL injuries.
“The leading cause of ACL tears in high school athletes is due to athletes in their physical developmental years who are specializing in one sport all year round,” Taylor said. “They are causing an imbalance of muscle strength in their bodies.”
There are still simple prevention exercises as described in the article “Preventing ACL Tears” published in Healthy Women. “Exercises that build the hamstring are very important for women participating in sports and physical activities to help prevent ACL injuries,” Miho Jean Tanaka, Director of Sports Medicine for Women at John Hopkins, writes.
Taylor also believes that “playing multi sports tends to lower the rate of ACL tears, because different sports tend to use different muscles creating more balance and strength in a kids body.”
The emotional and mental challenge of recovering from such an impactful injury is equally as difficult as the physical recovery. Kyle Kirby ’20 has recently undergone surgery for an ACL injury that took place in July during one of her lacrosse games. “As soon as I fell I immediately knew what had happened, but I didn’t want to believe it,” Kirby said.
Kirby has devoted much of her life to sports, and this injury for her was a huge mental challenge. “Personally I think that the mental [challenge] is the hardest because all you want to do is play but you know that you can’t.” The reality of not being able to play due to her injury hit Kirby as her teammates received their uniforms, and she was given her same jersey to wear on the sidelines of each game.
The effects of such an injury can last a lifetime. Rick Joreitz, a physical therapist at UPMC Center for Sports Medicine and team physical therapist for the Pittsburgh Penguins lists the proper rehab structure for an athlete during recovery in an article on high school athletes. “The early portion of rehabilitation, up to four months post-surgery, focuses on strengthening the quadricep muscle in the injured leg. Once the leg gains 80 percent of its strength back, an athlete can resume jogging,” Joreitz writes.
Although even after these steps are taken, it is very uncommon to see an athlete get back to the previous performance or strength they once had. Joreitz also suggests that an ACL injury in one knee increases the likelihood for the other knee to potentially suffer the same type of injury.
Annie Amacker ’18, a girls’ soccer captain, has struggled with two ACL injuries on separate knees. “I think the worst part about the second tear is the mental aspect,” Amacker said. “It becomes really easy to get angry and upset and feel that it is really unfair.”