Anatomical differences as a risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament rupture in female athletes: Systematic review

Introduction: women's participation in the world of sport has increased significantly in recent years, as has their rate of injury. Anterior cruciate ligament rupture is associated with various risk factors, where the female sex predominates. Objective: to determine the anatomical differences as a risk factor in anterior cruciate ligament rupture in female athletes. Methods: an exhaustive bibliographic review was carried out from the PubMed database. The search focused on articles published from 2005 onwards, in order to collect the largest amount of information associated with the risk of suffering an anterior cruciate ligament rupture secondary to the specific anatomical condition presented by female athletes. Results: there are various anatomical variables responsible for the increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury in female athletes. It was found that they refer to a smaller femoral intercondylar notch, an increase in the lateral tibial slope and a lesser depth of the medial tibial slope, compared to the male gender. Conclusion: it was determined that there are specific anatomical characteristics that determine the incidence of cruciate ligament injuries in female athletes compared to male athletes. More research is needed to reduce the incidence and also to encourage the participation of athletes in essential prevention programs