Strategies for preventing anterior cruciate ligament injuries in athletes: Insights from a scoping review

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries significantly impact young athletes, leading to long-term physical, psychological, and socioeconomic consequences. There is an urgent need to develop effective preventive strategies. This scoping review aims to evaluate modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for ACL injuries and assess existing preventive strategies.

A comprehensive literature search was performed on November 20, 2024, across databases including Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library. Articles published between 2000 and 2024 focusing on ACL injury prevention were included, while editorial content, non-clinical studies, and non-English publications were excluded.

The search yielded 322 articles, narrowing down to 94 after deduplication. After title screening, 46 studies progressed to full review, ultimately leading to the inclusion of 14 relevant manuscripts. Key findings indicate that ACL injuries result from various factors, with female athletes being 2.2 times more susceptible. Genetic predispositions linked to collagen-related SNPs and biomechanical patterns, such as landing techniques and knee positioning, were identified as significant contributors. Effective preventive programs integrated strength training, neuromuscular training, and advanced technology, including wearable devices and video analysis.

The study reinforces the importance of a personalized, multifaceted approach to ACL injury prevention, focusing on risk stratification and optimizing training strategies alongside technological advancements. Implementing these strategies can significantly mitigate the risk of ACL injuries in high-risk populations.