Leap into Spring

Hoppy Spring! We’re going to leap right into this season with puns and other things you knee-d to know to prevent ACL injuries through preventative training including agility, strengthening, and mechanics in the program called Jocks Jump and other ACL prevention programs at Camelback Sports Therapy.

What is the ACL?

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) runs across the middle of the knee, and provides stability to the knee as well as prevents the tibia (lower leg bone) from sliding in front of the femur (upper leg bone).

What constitutes an ACL injury?

An ACL injury can be classified in 3 levels: Grades 1-3 Sprains. In Grade 1 Sprains, there is mild damage and stretching to the ACL. Grade 2 Sprains are considered a partial tear of the ligament, and it becomes loose. Grade 3 Sprain is most common and is considered a complete tear of the ligament.

What’s the cause?

ACL injuries can be caused by several actions including stopping suddenly, changing directions or slowing down while running, a physical impact on the knee, landing from jump with poor form. Many of the injuries come from poor mechanics in an athletic move or a muscular imbalance in the lower extremities.

How can they be prevented?

An ACL tear is a hassle to deal with after it happens. It can ruin a full season of a sport. It is important to spend time on preventing ACL injuries before they might happen. Studies have shown that preventative, neuromuscular training can prevent the chance of ACL injuries by up to 70% (1).

Training in correct mechanics and form for things like jumping (and landing), turning, and stopping is extremely important. In conjunction with correct mechanics, strengthening and stretching the muscles in the lower extremities is a key part of preventing ACL injuries. The training includes many different types of activities to engage different muscles and ligaments that are often overlooked with other training programs.

Camelback Sports Therapy offers Jocks Jump and other ACL Prevention programs in order to avoid a common and debilitating injury so that they can continue to enjoy the sports and activities they love. 

References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4670212/

Tags: ACL, ACL prevention, acl sprain, ACL Tear, ACL tear prevention, Jump, jumping, neuromuscluar training, Spring