ere’s a scene repeated all too often in high school and college sports:Agirl spins, pivots or jumps for a ball, hears an audible “pop” from her leg and falls to the ground. Surgery and months of hard work may lie ahead before she’s back in the game.

That “pop,” in many cases, is the sound of a ligament giving way in the knee. Girls are several times more likely than boys to suffer injuries of the anterior cruciate ligament, which helps link the upper and lower leg bones. Among the highest-risk sports: basketball, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and skiing. Doctors estimate that one in 100 high school girls and one in 10 college women in such sports will hurt an ACL during the four years they play a sport.

Skeletal anatomy, muscle function and other differences between the male and female body make the knee vulnerable, doctors say.

More and more girls are taking part in sports and other forms of exercise. “At the same time, the speed, contact and intensity of sport and exercise have increased,” says Dr. Philip Wilson, an orthopedic surgeon on the medical staff at Children’s Medical Center.

That means more and more girls are getting hurt. Stress fractures, kneecap pain and ankle injuries also are more common among girls in sports. But your young athlete can take steps to reduce injuries:

• She can look for a program designed to ward off ACL tears. Such programs strengthen female athletes’ legs, including hamstrings. They teach the right way to land after jumping, with knees bent and hips flexed forward.
• She can strengthen her core muscles. The trunk, hips, pelvis, abdomen and back are the source of power and foundation for the legs. A program that stresses strength and flexibility for the core muscles can help head off injuries and improve performance.
• She always can warm up before beginning any activity; take rest breaks; and cool down and stretch after play. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association also suggests cross training, rather than overusing the same muscles by playing the same sport constantly.