Senator Umberg and Assemblymember Petrie-Norris Establish May as ACL Injury Awareness Month

Resolution Highlights Need for Prevention, Education and Youth Athlete Safety

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Today, Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine), advanced Senate Concurrent Resolution 151, designating May as Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury Awareness Month in California.

The resolution elevates the fast-growing public health concern among youth athletes as documented recently in the New York Times, and calls for expanded awareness, education, injury prevention strategies and improved data collection to reduce the frequency and long-term impact of ACL injuries.

“I’ve heard directly from young athletes who went from competing at a high level to facing surgery and months of recovery overnight,” said Senator Umberg. “These injuries can be life-changing—but they are often preventable. We need to make sure every athlete, coach and program has access to the tools that can keep kids healthy and on the field.”

ACL injuries are increasingly common among youth athletes, with an estimated 400,000 cases annually in the United States. These injuries often require surgical reconstruction followed by 9 to 15 months of rehabilitation, costing families tens of thousands of dollars and disrupting education, athletic participation, and long-term health outcomes.

Rates have more than doubled over the past two decades, with the steepest increases among athletes under 18. Individuals who experience an ACL tear face a reinjury risk of up to 30 percent, along with a significantly higher likelihood of early-onset osteoarthritis, chronic pain, and long-term joint damage.

Despite these outcomes, research consistently shows that ACL injuries are largely preventable. Evidence-based neuromuscular training programs can reduce injury risk by 50 to 88 percent when implemented consistently. However, access to and adoption of these programs remain uneven across youth sports.

“Tearing my ACL at 14 felt like my world just stopped. Soccer isn’t just something I do—it’s who I am,” said Liora Shimi, 14, ECNL Soccer Player, Multi-Sport Athlete, Recovering from ACL Injury.  “One day I was training, competing, and chasing my dreams in the ECNL and multiple sports, and the next I was facing surgery, months of rehab, and watching my teammates play without me. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through physically, but even more emotionally and mentally. That’s why SCR 151 means so much to me. If more athletes, coaches, and families knew about simple prevention programs, fewer kids would have to go through what I did. This is about protecting our futures as youth athletes, our mental health, and our love for the game so the next generation can stay on the field and never have to experience what I did.”

The resolution is supported by a broad coalition of athletes, medical professionals, youth sports organizations and public health leaders including:

• U.S. Youth Soccer
• California Physical Therapy Association
• American Academy of Pediatrics, California
• California Orthopedic Association
• Leading medical and research experts, including specialists from Cedars-Sinai, UC San Francisco, UC Davis, Major League Soccer and the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program.

SCR 151 reflects a growing consensus that ACL injuries are not simply a sports issue, but a preventable public health challenge with long-term consequences for individuals, families, and the healthcare system. By elevating awareness and encouraging evidence-based prevention, California is taking an important step to protect the health, safety and future of young athletes. 

For the full text of SCR 151, visit: ACL Injury Awareness Month. 

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Senator Thomas J. Umberg represents the 34th Senate District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Fullerton, Garden Grove, La Habra, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, and East and South Whittier. Umberg is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, former federal prosecutor, and small businessman. He and his wife, Brigadier General Robin Umberg, USA (ret.), live in Orange County.