Anterior cruciate ligament ruptures in German elite soccer players: Epidemiology, mechanisms, and return to play

Understanding ACLR loading mechanisms, knowing risk factors for the injury and mean off time after ACLR are essential information for the coach, the medical staff, the elite soccer players, the insurance and team managers. Our results are in accordance with reports based on information from medical team staff. Therefore, our analysis of ACLR based on media sources may serve as an alternative for injury reports in elite soccer. The information of this study may be helpful for the medical staff taking care of professional soccer players and for orthopedic surgeons performing ACL reconstructions in this patient population.