Hormonal Birth Control Might Reduce Female Athletes’ ACL Tears - Summary - MDSpire

Hormonal Birth Control Might Reduce Female Athletes’ ACL Tears

Female athletes are two to eight times more likely to tear their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) than their male counterparts performing the same sport at the same level. They are also at greater risk for other ligament and tendon injuries, such as ankle sprains. 

  • By

  • March 4, 2025

  • 6 min

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Objective:

To investigate whether hormonal birth control can reduce the risk of ACL tears and other injuries, particularly in female athletes.

Key Findings:
  • Female athletes on hormonal birth control exhibited straighter hip and knee alignment during landings, which may reduce ACL injury risk.
  • Lower relaxin levels in athletes using hormonal birth control correlated with fewer injuries, including ankle sprains and meniscal tears, suggesting a protective effect.
Interpretation:

The study suggests that hormonal birth control may provide protective benefits against ACL injuries in female athletes by influencing movement patterns and reducing relaxin levels, but caution is advised in generalizing these results due to the small sample size.

Limitations:
  • The study had a small sample size of 72 athletes, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
  • Further research is needed to confirm findings and explore the broader implications of hormonal birth control on female athletes, including potential biases.
Conclusion:

While hormonal birth control may offer additional protective benefits for female athletes, it is not the sole factor in ACL injury risk, and comprehensive training programs are also essential. Further research is necessary to validate these findings.

Original Source(s)

Hormonal Birth Control Might Reduce Female Athletes’ ACL Tears

  • by

  • March 4, 2025

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