Dr. Noyes has many research interests and one of the most prominent is the prevention of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in female athletes. ACL injuries can cause long-term problems in the knee joint, including the early onset of osteoarthritis. It has been evident for some time that a gender disparity exists in noncontact ACL injuries, with female athletes suffering 2 to 6 times the injury rate as male athletes in sports such as soccer and basketball. In response to this problem, Dr. Noyes and researchers at his institute developed an ACL injury prevention training program (Sportsmetrics) that has been successful in reducing the injury incidence in female athletes.
In 2012, Dr. Noyes and co-editor Sue Barber-Westin published an extensive, 22-chapter textbook (ACL Injuries in the Female Athlete: Causes, Impacts, and Conditioning Programs) on this topic designed for orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, athletic trainers, sports medicine primary care physicians, and strength and conditioning specialists. The 500+ page textbook examines the short- and long-term impacts of ACL tears and gender-related risk factors for this injury. Neuromuscular training programs, including Sportsmetrics, are provided in detail. Dr. Noyes and researchers at his institute have also published 22 articles in peer-reviewed orthopaedic journals on this topic.
From its online publication in November 2012 through May 2016, over 27,700 chapters from the textbook were accessed from the publisher’s website. This large number indicates the relevance and interest in this topic and makes this book the most widely read on this topic. Dr. Noyes and researchers at the Noyes Knee Institute remain dedicated to continued research and training efforts to reduce the incidence of ACL injuries in female athletes. Please visit www.sportsmetrics.org for further information on Sportsmetrics.