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<ns0:Description>
<ns0:Id>20250SCR_015199INT</ns0:Id>
<ns0:VersionNum>99</ns0:VersionNum>
<ns0:History>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-03-25</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
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<ns0:MeasureNum>151</ns0:MeasureNum>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Umberg</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Umberg</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title> Relative to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury Awareness Month. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury Awareness Month</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Awareness Month.</ns0:Subject>
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<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>This measure would proclaim the month of May 2026 as Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury Awareness Month and encourage schools, youth sports organizations, athletic programs, and health professionals to promote evidence-based injury prevention education and training.</html:p>
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<ns0:FiscalCommittee>NO</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
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<ns0:Whereas id="id_14781276-015D-4D37-9BCF-E150FC50E51F">
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<html:p>WHEREAS, It is the custom of the Legislature to recognize official months that are set aside to increase awareness of serious health conditions that affect the lives of the people of California; and</html:p>
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<html:p>WHEREAS, Attendant to that concern and in full accord with its longstanding traditions, it is the intent of the Legislature to memorialize and proclaim the month of May 2026 as Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury Awareness Month in California; and</html:p>
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</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_BDCE7D1E-4D95-419C-8054-C4D8ACDF6365">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, California will host the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in the summer of 2026 in the San Francisco Bay area and Los Angeles, underscoring the state’s leadership in soccer and athletic participation at every level; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_E47B8312-ECF3-48E7-8051-F32A755779C5">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, California is home to one of the largest youth soccer populations in the nation, with more than 320,000 youth participants, and soccer ranks among the most widely played sports in the state for both boys, with more than 53,000 participants, and girls, with more than 45,000 participants; and</html:p>
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</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_770D8ADF-3016-4375-AE9B-B020A8A97367">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, California leads the nation in developing athletes who compete at the highest levels of the sport, including Major League Soccer, the National Women’s Soccer League, and the United States national teams; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_36740910-127F-4863-A9F4-F957FD99F2F5">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine recognizes that ACL injuries are common in youth and adolescent athletes, and that over 70 percent of these injuries occur through noncontact mechanisms, such as rapid direction changes, pivoting, cutting, and landing movements, which are typical of sports including soccer, basketball, volleyball, lacrosse, and football; and</html:p>
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</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_49C90A12-8E1D-4F3D-B980-F42FB2C1F823">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, ACL injuries are among the most common and debilitating musculoskeletal injuries affecting physically active individuals and youth athletes, constituting a major and growing public health concern; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_657218AD-B57A-42B0-ABCE-9933B05CD5B2">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, An estimated 400,000 ACL tears occur annually in the United States; and</html:p>
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</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_02CAC832-6F40-4AF3-9A22-253C1BB9D684">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, ACL tears account for approximately 40 percent of reported sports-related knee injuries and frequently require surgical reconstruction followed by rehabilitation periods ranging from 9 to 15 months, resulting in lost educational, athletic, and career opportunities; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_F8F6F1AE-5023-4C24-98B1-A30455687A0B">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, Individuals who sustain an ACL injury face a reinjury risk of up to 30 percent, and approximately one in four individuals will tear the same or opposite knee during their lifetime; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_315251F7-22E9-4083-95D2-38FF92B90410">
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<html:p>WHEREAS, The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons reports that reconstruction of the primary ACL at a younger age and an early return to sport are associated with a significantly higher risk of secondary ACL injury among adolescent athletes; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_980D2B97-AA98-4D28-8ED0-C37D7D7909C5">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, ACL injuries significantly increase the risk of osteoarthritis in children and adolescents by up to 10 times, can result in chronic pain and long-term damage to cartilage and the meniscus, and make individuals up to 7 times more likely to require knee replacement surgery later in life; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_822B1B5D-984A-4702-87D6-E741C932B374">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, The total lifetime medical costs associated with a single ACL injury are estimated to range from $38,000 to $88,000 or more, imposing substantial burdens on families and the health care system; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_8BB663C2-4505-4F76-8078-A7A0EBBEDE43">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, The economic burden of ACL injuries is substantial, with estimates indicating direct medical costs exceeding $7 billion annually in the United States, in addition to significant indirect costs related to lost productivity, long-term care, and diminished quality of life; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_FCAD0A84-56A9-4F19-B408-6FC4AEA173A1">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Physical Therapy Association recommend plyometric and strengthening exercises to reduce young athletes’ risks of being injured and encourages coaches and school sports programs to learn about the benefits of this kind of neuromuscular training; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_23F6C7ED-0F06-44BC-985D-76E841535D3D">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, Research demonstrates that 50 to 88 percent of ACL injuries in middle school and high school athletes are largely preventable through evidence-based neuromuscular training and injury prevention programs, particularly among youth, female, and soccer populations; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_B2514221-C052-4024-8952-8F5E2504273B">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, Female athletes experience a disproportionate burden of ACL injuries, with studies showing they are between 2.8 and 8 times more likely than male athletes to sustain ACL tears, particularly in sports such as soccer, basketball, and lacrosse; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_DF0869EC-E6E7-44D5-A3E7-98C519FC2B1F">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, The Hospital for Special Surgery and the Aspen Institute report that female high school soccer players who participate year-round face a 16 to 18 percent risk of ACL injury, and athletes in sports including basketball, lacrosse, and soccer face a 10 to 12 percent risk of sustaining an ACL injury during their high school years; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_EFC8CB29-C6FC-4DF6-BB83-08E6C8F8F4AA">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, Emerging research indicates that hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle may influence biomechanics, motor planning, and injury risk in female athletes and that many training, injury prevention, and recovery programs have historically been designed based on male physiology; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_13AD89C2-FC36-4595-8F66-58840E6D32BA">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, Organizations including FIFA, the International Olympic Committee, the Union of European Football Associations, the National Women’s Soccer League, and institutions of higher education are investing in research on the relationship between women’s health, athletic performance, and injury prevention, reflecting the urgent need for improved data and targeted prevention strategies; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_2EF95F2E-7B88-45FB-A847-CDAAAAFBFCB8">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, In December 2025, the University of California, Berkeley launched the Women’s Health and Performance Initiative, a first of its kind research initiative aimed at closing the significant gender data gap in sport science, which recognized that historically fewer than 10 percent of sports medicine research studies have focused on female athletes, despite well-documented differences in injury risk, including ACL injuries; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_321782D0-0016-4953-87A0-78051C7D7D17">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, ACL injuries can have profound psychological and social impacts on injured individuals, including depression, anxiety, and reduced academic or occupational participation, particularly among youth athletes; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_7D023984-F0E3-46BB-8E5B-F47C9421693C">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, Injury prevention programs not only reduce ACL injury risk but also decrease overall time lost from sports participation and improve long-term physical, mental health, and performance outcomes for young athletes; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_285FECC8-DA32-416A-98A0-D3F8E94BAB2E">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, The FIFA 11+ should be recognized as the standard, evidence-based, 20-minute, all-in-one warmup program for adoption by youth sports organizations to mitigate ACL injury risk, alongside other specialized protocols including the PEP Program and FIFA 11+ kids programs; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_56D3AA04-706E-415A-B10E-D7470906C823">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, The National ACL Injury Coalition, convened through Project Play, has established a nationally recognized, evidence-based framework to reduce ACL injuries among youth athletes across multiple sports by promoting standardized education, neuromuscular injury prevention training, and implementation resources for youth sports organizations, coaches, athletes, and parents; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_4B033B57-D067-45A2-AAA7-EAC589CA7183">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, An analysis conducted by the National ACL Injury Coalition of data from High School RIO (Reporting Information Online), a national sports injury surveillance system, found a 26-percent increase in the annual incidence rate of ACL injuries across 12 major sports from 2007 to 2022, including significant increases in girls’ sports, including lacrosse and volleyball, which saw rises of 83 percent and 96 percent, respectively; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_B9C791E9-DD14-4310-B839-8FAFE6CA52BF">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, California currently lacks a statewide injury surveillance system specific to youth sports ACL injuries, and national estimates used to inform public health policy may not fully capture the scope, demographic distribution, or sport-specific patterns of ACL injuries among California youth; and</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Whereas id="id_BEE68FDD-FD5D-4D2B-964E-E07FE2110096">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of ACL injuries as a serious and preventable public health issue with long-term health, economic, and equity implications, and that California promote education, injury surveillance, research, and evidence-based prevention efforts statewide; now, therefore, be it</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Whereas>
<ns0:Resolved id="id_3B06D132-637D-4DBD-9758-FFDBB896CF84">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
<html:i>Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring,</html:i>
That the Legislature hereby proclaims the month of May 2026 as Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury Awareness Month in California; and be it further
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Resolved>
<ns0:Resolved id="id_4B5D400C-2D35-4448-8CA8-EBD60A1B65A3">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
<html:i>Resolved,</html:i>
That the Legislature encourages the State Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation to evaluate the feasibility of recommending or incorporating evidence-based neuromuscular injury prevention warmup programs, including the FIFA 11+ and PEP Program, into the standard practice of school-sanctioned athletic programs statewide, with implementation guidance developed in consultation with licensed athletic trainers, physical therapists, and sports medicine physicians (Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine); and be it further
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Resolved>
<ns0:Resolved id="id_03E53B8C-53CD-4219-A08F-6185FBD59145">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
<html:i>Resolved,</html:i>
That the Legislature requests the State Department of Public Health, in consultation with the California Interscholastic Federation, the State Department of Education, and relevant medical associations to assess the feasibility of establishing a statewide youth sports injury surveillance mechanism to track ACL injury incidence, demographics, sport type, and prevention program adoption rates, and to report findings to the Legislature to inform future evidence-based policy; and be it further
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Resolved>
<ns0:Resolved id="id_08993BE1-1CEC-4F9E-A540-D9AEEC490CBA">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
<html:i>Resolved,</html:i>
That the Legislature encourages schools, youth sports organizations, athletic programs, and health professionals to promote evidence-based injury prevention education and training, with particular attention to the disproportionate impact of ACL injuries on girls and women; and be it further
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:Resolved>
<ns0:Resolved id="id_EB1F9F5F-E625-4C5B-8593-26BAB7B24D82">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
<html:i>Resolved,</html:i>
That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
</html:p>
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</ns0:Resolved>
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