Orthopaedic Institute of Western Kentucky: Preventing ACL Injuries in Youth Athletes

by Jake Beggs, MPH, MSPAS, PA-C The Orthopaedic Institute of Western Kentucky

In the sports world, the ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, has become one of the most well-known ligaments in the human body - and for good reason. The ACL is one of the primary ligaments in the knee that provides stability of the joint, especially during high impact activities like jumping, sprinting, cutting, and landing. Tears most commonly occur as a result of a non-contact pivoting injury, but may also occur as a result of a direct blow to the knee. ACL tears that require surgery typically come with a nine to twelve month recovery process before the athlete can return to sport at full capacity. Athletes can miss out on valuable development and experience during this time.

While surgery has remained a mainstay of treatment for athletes with ACL tears for several years, the process of preventing ACL injuries has come a long way. One of the most important factors in prevention is identifying who is at the highest risk for this injury. Because of the unique demands of certain sports, we commonly see ACL injuries occur in football, basketball, soccer, and volleyball athletes. In addition, due to differences in their musculoskeletal anatomy, female athletes tend to have a higher associated risk of ACL tears. While there are several risk factors that are not mitigated, a number of risk factors can be addressed to significantly decrease the risk of an ACL tear.

Ensuring that athletes routinely follow a proper warm-up protocol before engaging in high impact activities is key. While not everyone has access to a strength coach, there are a number of free resources online, such as the FIFA 11 program, specifically designed for soccer players.

In general, an effective warmup for ACL injury prevention should include exercises that improve hip mobility, like squats and lunges. Exercises that strengthen the hamstrings and gluteal muscles have been shown to protect the ACL; specifically, exercises like glute bridges, hamstring curls, and deadlifts. In addition, exercises that improve core strength and stability like planks and side planks may be of benefit.

One of the most important aspects of a prevention program is in teaching athletes how to jump and land. While collisions can’t always be avoided, learning how to maintain body position with contact and land appropriately has been shown to dramatically decrease risk of ACL tear. Athletes should focus on being able to land softly and without their knees caving in, which requires sufficient strength, body awareness, and neuromuscular control. Consistency is key, so it is vital to implement a sustainable program and make it a part of your athletes’ routine early on in their sports career.

If you are an athlete or family member of an athlete and preventing ACL tears seems like a daunting task, reach out to a local physical therapist, strength coach, athletic trainer, or sports medicine specialist at the Orthopaedic Institute of Western Kentucky. They can help identify your specific risk factors and develop a prevention plan tailored for you. While not all ACL tears are preventable, there is a large body of evidence that shows that consistent, targeted warm-up programs can save athletes from serious injury.

If you have a knee injury that you are concerned about, don’t hesitate to reach out to a sports medicine specialist at OIWK. Not all knee injuries are ACL tears, so it is important to be promptly evaluated to get you back out on the field and off of the side-line safely and in a timely manner. 