#048 ACL Recovery & Resilience in Young Female Athletes” – with Elliot Greenberg & Dr. Ted Ganley

🎙️ “Rebuilding Stronger: ACL Recovery & Resilience in Young Female Athletes” – with Elliot Greenberg & Dr. Ted Ganley 🗣️ Hosted by Carolyn Kent, co-hosted by Lindsey Cornish

🔹 Episode Summary:

In this episode of Women's Football Hub, host Carolyn Kent and co-host Lindsey Cornish are joined by two world-class experts from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: Elliot Greenberg, a clinical specialist in ACL rehab, and Dr. Ted Ganley, an orthopedic surgeon and director of the Sports Medicine and Performance Center.

Together, they unpack the full ACL journey—from surgery and rehab to re-injury prevention and mental health—offering unique insights into supporting young female footballers through one of the most challenging injuries in sport.

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

🧠 The Emotional Impact of ACL Rehab

• “It’s not the pain—it’s the identity loss”

• How staying socially connected boosts recovery

⚙️ Why Rehab Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

• Pediatric rehab milestones vs adult protocols

• Strength, neuromuscular control & realistic timelines

• Language matters: “You’re not ‘cleared’—you’re progressing”

🦵 Re-injury Risks & Return-to-Play

• Why 9 months is just a minimum

• Why symmetry ≠ readiness

• Elliot’s favorite quote: “Being strong is good. Accessing strength quickly is better.”

⚽ Coaches, Parents & Prevention

• Injury prevention starts BEFORE elite level

• Strength training bias: Are we underloading female athletes?

• Reinforce injury prevention after return to play

🩺 Surgical & Long-Term Considerations

• How growth plates affect graft choice

• What “stronger than ever” really means post-ACL

• The uncomfortable reality of early-onset arthritis

🧭 Quotes to Remember:

• “Recovery is not linear—every athlete is on their own journey.” – Elliot Greenberg

• “ACL surgery is just the helicopter ride to base camp—rehab is the real mountain climb.” – Dr. Ted Ganley

• “The goal of ACL surgery isn’t elite status—it’s preserving knee health for life.”

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• 📚 U.S. injury data & sport-specific risk breakdowns

• 🧠 Sports psychology integration in rehab

• 💡 Machine learning in predicting ACL reinjury risk (Greenberg & Ganley, 2024)

🎧 Listen Now:

Find the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all major platforms. 🔗 Subscribe and share with anyone supporting female youth athletes!