Situations Leading to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Sports: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis.
Sports MedApr 18, 2026 (epub)
Patrick Mai, Steffen Willwacher, Lina Rahlf et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined 1551 video-verified ACL injuries across various sports to identify specific game situations and movement patterns leading to these injuries. The study found that noncontact mechanisms accounted for 745 injuries, with cutting being the most prevalent action at 53.8%. The results highlight the need for sport-specific prevention strategies.
Key findings
- Noncontact mechanisms accounted for 745 injuries, with cutting being the most common action at 53.8%.
- Injuries occurred more frequently during ball possession (67.5%) and offensive play (55.4%).
- Injuries were most common in the first 25% of the game in football (37.5%) and netball (37.8%).
Why it matters
Understanding the specific situations and movement patterns that lead to ACL injuries can help clinicians and coaches develop targeted prevention strategies, potentially reducing the incidence of these injuries in athletes.