You’re 18. You’ve just helped your team to a bronze medal in Norway’s Toppserien. You have been nominated Young Player of the Year. Everything feels like it’s falling into place — a career opening up in front of you, a path that could one day follow the likes of Caroline Graham Hansen or Maren Mjelde. And then, suddenly, it stops. The diagnosis every footballer fears: an ACL injury.
For every athlete, an ACLÂ (anterior cruciate ligament injury) injury is a nightmare. It takes away at least a year of your career. According to previous research, women should be more at risk of injury, and there is also a connection with the menstrual cycle. However, the solution may be closer than it seems.