You get a couple here, and it sort of skews the numbers a bit. Nationally, you see a good cross-section. The number of procedures grew to 60 there last year, with 15 females and 45 males having the operation. Wenatchee orthopedic surgeons Mark Broberg and Roger Starkweather are veterans dealing with the aftermath. Between 1973 and 1975, damaged ACLs accounted for 3.5 percent of all skiing injuries, with the number jumping to 19.3 percent in a 1997 to 1999 survey.
Women suffer a slightly higher rate than their male counterparts.
We treat the outcome of an injury, but we would like to prevent those injuries. There is much evidence that a training program is helpful and it should be a part of athletic programs. Both of Pflugrath's injuries came while playing in her off time, first in an intermural football game in college and then in a basketball game after work. Professional women athletes haven't escaped the problem. One in five WNBA players has incurred a partial or complete tear of the ACL, including the most valuable player in 2000, Sheryl Swoopes.