Common acl questions
ACL INJURY
WHY ARE FEMALES MORE PRONE TO ACL INJURY?
Research in the last 10 years has shown that differences in neuromuscular control, or the way females control the knee when they jump, land, and run, contributes highly to the increased rate of ACL injuries in females. The latest research shows that females playing soccer, basketball, and volleyball are 4 to 6 times more likely to sustain an ACL injury than their male counterparts.
IS MY DAUGHTER AT RISK FOR AN ACL INJURY?
Having a physician or a trained and knowledgeable physical therapist assess your daughter’s risk factors is important. By having girls perform a couple of simple tests in the office, the general risk factors for ACL injury can be identified.
HOW DOES THE ACL PREVENTION TRAINING WORK?
Young athletes are put through specific drills to work on proper form, balance, strength, and flexibility to retrain the body to jump, land, and cut with better form and decreased risk of injury. The training is methodical and very form focused in order to avoid retraining existing bad habits. Fortunately, a side benefit of the program is improved speed, strength, and agility that will help with sports performance.
WHAT IS THE BEST AGE TO START?
Once a young female has started puberty and has the emotional maturity to follow directions and stay focused, they can benefit. Usually age 12 and up is a good guideline.
WHAT ARE THE LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES OF AN ACL INJURY?
ACL injury causes 6-12 months of missed sports training, averages $18,000 for surgery and rehab, and leads to an increased incidence of early osteoarthritis of the knee on 20-year follow-up.
DOES TRAINING GUARANTEE ACL INJURY PREVENTION?
The goal of our ACL injury prevention program is to decrease the risk of non-contact ACL injuries to equal that rate seen in boys. Studies in similar programs show between 70%-80% decrease in the incidence of injury in participants. Unfortunately, there is no brace or program that can completely eliminate risk.
acl INJURY prevention
Adolescent female athletes are documented to have anywhere from a 4 to 6 times greater risk of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament than male counterparts. Fortunately, research over the past 5-10 years has confirmed that specific evaluation and training programs can help to reduce the rate of injury to equal that of male counterparts.
ACL INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAM
In order to continue to serve our community, CTPO now offers custom ACL Injury Prevention Programs for athletic departments in Central Texas. If you are interested in bringing the ACL Injury Prevention Program to your school, please contact us here:
