Everyday that I come to school, it feels like I see another student crutching precariously across the wet pavement of the school parking lot, a large metal brace inhibiting their leg’s motion. Or, I see a new face waiting impatiently at the elevator doors as their able-bodied peers rush by. It was only last year that I was in the same situation, after I tore my ACL and meniscus playing soccer. My personal experience with knee surgery and recovery has opened my eyes to the vast number of knee injuries, especially in high school athletes, and I am empathetic to anyone in recovery from a knee injury. 

However, it is not just LOHS that is experiencing an amplification of knee injuries in high school athletes. According to studies from the National ACL Injury Coalition, ACL injuries have increased by about 32% in girls high school athletics since 2007, whereas in boys, ACL injuries have increased by about 14.5%. These statistics exemplify multiple issues surrounding ACL injuries: one being that there has been a clear increase; and two, that girls are much more at risk than boys. Studies report that girls are two to eight times more likely to tear their ACLs due to factors such as hormonal cycles and skeletal structure.

It is crucial to note that this does not diminish the severity of knee injuries between genders. Most recoveries range from 9-12 months but many athletes aren’t completely back to their original state until several years post-surgery. This can pose several challenges to athletes who are accustomed to rigorous daily training and peak fitness levels. It is a mental obstacle to accept the level of physical inactivity they are trapped in and the effort required to become capable of simple activities like walking or straightening their leg. It can become unmotivating to do exercises when the entire process of recovery is prolonged and there is no clear reward to work towards. 

Another mental barrier is that recovery often feels like an isolating process, and not because there aren’t medical professionals guiding the way, and friends who check in, but because the drawn-out process of regaining strength becomes normalized and forgotten. Personally, it felt like it became the norm for me to be crutching haphazardly through the hallways, always slightly out of breath and about to break a sweat, and the daily struggle of performing simple activities seemed overlooked by others. People would forget the limitations surrounding my physical recovery and it would baffle me because my injury was always at the forefront of my mind, but understandably, it wasn’t the first on other people’s minds. 

Knee injuries are notorious because of how brutal they are, but also because of how common they are, which is what scares me most. Why is it normal for teenagers to be going through year-long surgical rehabilitation, and why are the rates of injury increasing? The intensity of high school sports is certainly overwhelming at times, as players strive to be the best and display school pride through their athletic achievements. In the swirl of competition and the glorification of athletic success, the health and safety of athletes can feel like it’s not the top priority. 

With all of this in mind, it is crucial for athletes of all sports and genders to remain vigilant of their health and take precautionary measures to prevent injuries. Missing a practice or accepting a player’s substitution to protect one’s health is exponentially better than pushing one’s self too far and risking a devastating injury.