Special Assessments and Strategies to Reduce the Risk of ACL Injuries

Fast Facts

A two year study of young female soccer athletes showed that those who participated in an ACL prevention program had 74-88% fewer ACL injuries than those who did not do the program.

- American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2005

Research has shown female athletes are at a much higher risk for an ACL injury when compared to their male counterparts. Studies have shown that 1 out of every 100 high school female athletes will suffer a serious knee injury this year. Most of these injuries are non-contact, and the most common mechanism leading to ACL injury is cutting, jumping, or pivoting. These movements are fundamental to many sports including soccer, basketball, and volleyball. There is growing evidence that ACL injury is linked to poor jumping and landing techniques, weakness or imbalances in leg, hip or trunk muscles, and poor awareness of the body position in space. These factors all increase the odds of sustaining a significant knee injury.

Fortunately, the risk of an ACL injury can be significantly reduced with a careful evaluation and a well-designed program of specific training. At Atlantic Physical Therapy we can utilize our ACL Injury Risk Assessment to identify things that could increase your chances of getting hurt. The process begins with a thorough evaluation by of our Physical Therapists.

We Will Assess:

lower extremity alignment
muscle strength
muscle flexibility
slow motion analysis of jump and landing technique

Using this information, we can create and implement a program specifically designed to help eliminate your problem areas. Participating in this type of program has been proven effective in increasing strength, improving jumping technique, enhancing performance, and reducing the risk of an ACL injury.