REVIEW  SPORT INJURIES AND REHABILITATION 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2025 May;65(5):657-64

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.24.16402-X

Copyright © 2024 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Pressing, pressure and re-aggressing as tactical movement of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in women’s soccer

Rosario D’ONOFRIO ¹, Dario POMPA ² ✉, Cristian SAVOIA ³, Matteo MASUCCI ^{4, 5}, Francesco LATERZA ¹, Vincenzo MANZI ¹

¹ Department of Wellbeing, Nutrition and Sport, Pegaso Open University, Naples, Italy; ² Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, Behavioral Imaging and Neural Dynamics (BIND) Center, "G. d’Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy; ³ The Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, The Tom Reilly Building, Liverpool John-Moores University, Liverpool, UK; ⁴ University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada; ⁵ Technical Director of the Juventus Academy of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

INTRODUCTION: A better understanding of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury mechanisms in female soccer can guide better research on both prevention programs and late-stage rehabilitation for the return-to-sport process. This narrative review investigates the technical and tactical game situations in female soccer linked to ACL injury mechanisms.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Through a literature search, we reviewed scientific literature to identify soccer-specific technical movements and tactical patterns that increase the risk of ACL injuries in female players. Articles were retrieved through Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and PubMed Central. Inclusion criteria were: 1) studies on ACL injury mechanisms in women’s soccer; 2) studies examining soccer techniques/tactics to identify non-contact injury mechanisms. Gray literature was included to supplement limited indexed data, aiming to stay within author guidelines.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Female athletes experience a 2-8 times higher risk of ACL injury than males, with 70% of these injuries being non-contact. Common scenarios leading to these injuries involve ball possession/non-possession phases, tactical actions (pressing, pressure, re-aggression), and technical movements (cutting, changing direction). Tactical aspects, particularly pressing and re-aggression, are key contributors to ACL injury risk regardless of ball possession.
CONCLUSIONS: In female soccer, ACL injuries are related to non-contact injury mechanisms during technical and tactical situations. The knowledge and study of these situational patterns of play, such as pressing, re-aggression, pressure, and cutting maneuvers, are essential to target prevention strategies and return-to-sport processes objectively.

KEY WORDS: Soccer; Anterior cruciate ligament injuries; Genu valgum