First you hear a pop, then comes the pain and swelling. One second you’re playing at the top of your game; the next, sitting on the sidelines for the rest of the year.

“It’s a traumatic event when you rupture your ACL,” said chiropractor Dr. Michael Pound. “A lot of things start going through your mind, like ‘How could this happen to me right now?’ and ‘Will I be able to play again?’”

Soccer is an extremely popular outdoor sport, especially among East County youth. It’s a great way for kids to stay active and healthy, as well as learn valuable life skills such as communication and teamwork. Yet as popularity increases, so do sports-related injuries. And the athletes at the greatest risk for knee injuries are young female athletes.

Each year, more than 150,000 Americans suffer anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. And 80 percent of sports-related ACL tears are non-contact injuries. Most often ACL tears occur when an athlete pivots or lands from a jump – and the knee gives out.

The fact that female athletes are 10 times more likely to tear an ACL than their male counterparts is due to factors such as the size and alignment of the pelvis, angulation of the knees, hormones and the way girls fire their muscles when they land. According to Dr. Pound, “There are some factors you have no control over when it comes to sports injuries. However, there are several things you can do as a female athlete to reduce your risk for knee injuries. Playing soccer with an unconditioned knee would be like playing football with no helmet.”

Using a scientifically proven female knee injury prevention program is your best defense against a season-ending ACL tear. As part of his community outreach program, Dr. Pound offers group demos on proper ACL warm-up stretches and provides a knee-injury prevention program designed specifically for female athletes. To contact Dr. Pound, e-mail drmikep@hotmail.com.