Overview
- Bayern confirmed that Lena Oberdorf re-ruptured her ACL during the match against 1. FC Köln and will be sidelined.
- Knee specialist Dr. Manuel Köhne says the operation will likely include an anterolateral ligament (ALL) reinforcement using an iliotibial-tract tendon to improve lateral stability.
- The expected recovery timeline is six to twelve months before a potential return to play.
- Köhne notes that roughly 20% of reconstructed ACLs re-tear in professional sport, and he cites skier Alex Schmid’s successful comeback after an ALL-augmented second reconstruction as encouraging.
- DFB sporting director Nia Künzer is calling for more medical research, while UEFA has made sex-specific injury research a top medical priority and FIFA is funding a Kingston University study on menstrual-cycle effects alongside prevention efforts such as neuromuscular training and women-specific footwear.