Football fans were bitterly disappointed when England captain Leah Williamson was ruled out of the World Cup earlier this year after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her knee.
But Leah was in good company: three of her Arsenal teammates — Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema and Laura Wienroither — suffered the same injury last season.
Last month, Scotland midfielder Caroline Weir also suffered an ACL injury. In fact, female athletes — including footballers — are between three to eight times more likely to suffer an ACL injury than their male counterparts.
With women’s football now more popular than ever, researchers are trying to discover why the female body seems to be more vulnerable to certain injuries and, crucially, what can be done to help elite young sportswomen — and women of any age who enjoy sports such as tennis or skiing — avoid them.