Podcast Episode with Kaylan Marckese: Her personal experiences recovering from an ACL injury
Freya Imani
In the latest episode of the Beyond the Pitch podcast, we were joined with Kaylan Marckese, goalkeeper for Tampa Bay Sun FC. Within the episode, we mentioned topics such as her time at Arsenal as well as her ACL recovery with the importance of mental health. We also covered the significance of having a well-structured support system alongside the growth of women’s football.
ACL injuries are a significant concern, especially in women's football, where women are 2-8 times more likely to rupture their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is a crucial band of tissue in the knee that connects the femur to the tibia. Injuries to this ligament often occur during sudden changes in direction, jumps, or landings.
Our guest, Kaylan Marckese, suffered an ACL injury in a match against Aston Villa in November 2023, on her one-year loan at Bristol. She is currently still recovering.
There are many factors contributing to ACL ruptures, however no single cause can be pinpointed, as injuries are often a result of a combination of factors. Among these factors, certain conditions make women more susceptible to ACL injuries. One anatomical cause is the wider Q-angle within females, which is the angle between the hip joint and the knee joint. Women have wider hips, resulting in a larger Q-angle, which is said to increase the risk of ACL rupture. In addition, hormonal fluctuations, such as increased oestrogen levels during the menstrual cycle, may cause graft laxity of the ACL: further elevating the risk.
It is important to note that the majority of ACL research, around 60-80%, has traditionally been conducted on men. Similarly, most football boots are designed with the male anatomical structure in mind and therefore not applicable to females. However, this situation is starting to improve as more research focuses specifically on women, with more consideration given to their unique anatomical and physiological needs. This increased attention is a positive step towards better understanding and preventing ACL injuries in female athletes.
Due to the women’s teams still having to give way to the men’s teams, the quality of the pitches they play or train on are often inferior. This can increase the risk of injury, as players may get stuck in the pitch during sudden movements.
Following the Lionesses' win at the Euros in 2022, the workload of professional footballers has massively increased. This means that most athletes who take part in international duty have extremely short breaks in between playing for their country and their club.
Mental health is very significant, Kaylan mentions the personal experiences of both her and her former teammate Beth Mead's, sharing how mental health holds crucial importance in dealing with long-term injuries.
“[…]I think mental health plays a big role in our lives in general for everyone. I think for me specifically i know i’ve spoken with a few people within arsenal and beyond arsenal that i know who have done their acl, i was kinda dealing with a tough time right before I did my acl and i was starting to feel like i was kinda coming out of that when i did my acl and then obviously kinda dropped back into a tough place but it was different, but i honestly think […] that knowing i had that support system i felt a bit at ease in a certain way because i knew was gonna get through it because i had them and yeah it made the tough times a bit little bit easier because i always had somebody to talk to and i always had somebody to rely on […].”
The support system and environment at the club changed following the six ACL injuries. Kaylan tells us how the event of multiple long-term injuries, in such a brief time, brought everyone together. Despite the struggles brought with the situations, everyone rallied in support around those with injury and fighting for each other. This helped Kaylan feel supported through the recovery process of her injury.
“[…] It’s everything, not only the girls that did their ACL but also the rest. […]”
Despite the current growth of women’s football and the increase in research on injuries, it is important to develop injury prevention across all levels of football, including smaller clubs and academies.
Kaylan explains her views on this:
“[…] I really do think people try their best and try their hardest, […] if we had more information we would be doing better, so I think a lot of that begins with research and again yeah like you said begins with research at the grassroots level not just at the professional level, […] and I think how the academies are set up and the grassroots are set up, it just brings a lot of disparity all the way up to the professional level […] we’ve got to do that at all levels, unfortunately I think that’s part of the slow process of the growth but it’s definitely gotta be a priority when we talk about the growth. […]”
There is no single reason that at once leads to an ACL injury. Multiple factors can align to cause the injury and therefore it is important to understand how these factors work together within the complex buildup resulting in an injury. Kaylan highlights the importance of leaning on support groups in order to find other people in similar situations during rehab. Injuries can be isolating when you’re not able to train with your team or be as mobile in your everyday life, so the support of someone going through the same struggles can definitely help.
“[…]as humans we’re wired to be around people were wired to be with people and I think injuries can be isolating so trying to put yourself around good people and be good people yourself, because there’s other people going through injuries as well, so I guess that would be my biggest advice […]”
Developing comprehensive injury prevention strategies across all levels of the sport, from grassroots to professional, is crucial. Understanding the multifaceted causes of ACL injuries can help in creating effective prevention and rehabilitation programs. Kaylan's insights highlight the importance of support systems and mental health in overcoming long-term injuries. As the sport continues to evolve, prioritising the health and well-being of female athletes will be key to ensuring their safety and success on the field. Through ongoing research and a collective effort to address these issues, we can hope to reduce the incidence of ACL injuries and support the continued growth of women's football.
Everyone at Beyond The Pitch would like to express their deepest gratitude towards Kaylan for her time, and sharing her personal experiences to help us raise awareness. Thank you!
You can watch the full podcast episode here:
Photo: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/JMP-Kaylan-Marckese_ac_006-scaled.jpg
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/acl-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20350738