This course includes the recording of a live Instructional Course from the 2026 AOSSM Annual Meeting.
Please Note: The Q&A QR code in the Recording is currently inactive. Any questions submitted through it will not be monitored or answered.
IC 01-2026-Leveling the Playing Field in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Closing the Gap in Outcomes and Care for the Female
Course Description:
Female athletes sustain anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries at disproportionately high rates compared to males, with risk amplified by complex interactions among anatomical, hormonal, biomechanical, and psychosocial factors. Furthermore, there has been a rapid increase in the number of female athletes over the last decade. It is, therefore, incumbent upon all orthopaedic sports medicine surgeons to advance the level of care we provide to the female athlete. This course explores sex-specific considerations in ACL reconstruction (ACLR), emphasizing biological underpinnings, operative decision-making, psychological factors, and long-term outcomes. Large prospective cohorts have demonstrated that female patients do not face higher graft failure or contralateral ACL tear risk, yet consistently report lower Marx activity levels, inferior return-to-sport rates, and modestly worse IKDC scores compared with males up to 10 years postoperatively. These disparities are not explained by graft choice or sport alone, underscoring the influence of psychological readiness, resilience, and tailored rehabilitation. Through integration of cutting-edge evidence and clinical experience, this session will provide surgeons with strategies to optimize outcomes in female ACLR. Attendees will gain a framework for applying sex-specific insights to surgical planning, perioperative care, and long-term athlete support, advancing equity and performance in women's sports medicine.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course, participants should be able to:
- Able to identify sex-specific biological, clinical, technical, rehabilitation, and psychological factors that influence anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk and outcomes in female athletes
- Apply evidence-based strategies to optimize surgical decision-making, rehabilitation, and return-to-sport outcomes following ACL reconstruction.
Faculty:
- Michael Scarcella, MD
- Mia Hagen, MD
- Miho J. Tanaka, MD, PhD
- Kurt P. Spindler, MD
- Michelle Wolcott, MD
- Andrew J. Sheean, MD
ACCREDITATION STATEMENT The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
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ABOS MOC CREDIT STATEMENT: Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME requirements of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery’s (ABOS) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABOS credit.
AMA CREDIT DESIGNATION STATEMENT The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
CLAIMING CREDIT In order to obtain AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ participants must complete the activity and online evaluation. No hard copy submissions will be accepted.
American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) (BOC AP# P460) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Athletic Trainers. This program is eligible for a maximum of 1 Category A CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program.
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FACULTY
Michael J. Scarcella, MD
Arthrex, Inc: Consultant (Ongoing)
Miho J. Tanaka, MD, PhD
Arthrex Inc: Consultant (Ongoing)|Depuy Synthes: Consultant (Ongoing)|Vericel: Consultant (Ongoing)
Kurt P. Spindler, MD
Novo Pedics: Consultant (Ongoing)|PRO-T: Consultant (Ongoing)
Michelle L. Wolcott, MD
"has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose"
Andrew J. Sheean, MD
restor3d: Consultant (Ongoing)|Springbok Analytics: Own stock options in a privately held ineligible company (Ongoing)|Springbok Analytics: Paid Advisor (Ongoing)|Stryker Sports Medicine: Consultant (Ongoing)
Mia Hagan, MD
RTI Surgical: Consultant (Ongoing)|Smith & Nephew: Consultant (Ongoing)|Smith & Nephew: Speaker (Ongoing)
In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, we have implemented measures to identify and mitigate relevant financial relationships. All individuals in control of content have disclosed their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the past 24 months. These relationships have been reviewed and mitigated.
ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE: 8/1/2026
EXPIRATION DATE: 7/31/2029