by Gabe Champeau, CSCS, Personal Trainer, Adventure 212 Fitness
There has been a significant increase of female participation in sports such as soccer, volleyball and basketball over the years. This participation increase has also been associated with an increased number of non-contact ACL injuries in female athletes. Studies have reported that female athletes are 2-8 times more likely to suffer an ACL injury than males participating in the same sport. There are many risk factors associated with these injuries; among them, several neuromuscular and biomechanical factors that predispose females to the injury are the easiest and safest to alter.
Females tend to develop certain movement patterns following puberty that create the increased risk. These include landing from jumps with straighter and stiffer legs, the knee falling inward to a greater extent on landings, and the tendency to stop and change direction using one large step versus several smaller steps. The tendencies all put an increased strain on the ACL.
During training athletes should practice landing with a bend in the knees and hips as opposed to a stiff, straight legged landing. This is called a soft landing. The athlete should also focus on landing with the knees straight and not allowing them to fall inward. This must also be taken into account during other leg exercises such as lunges and squats. Some practice time can also be devoted to change of direction drills where the athlete focuses on using several smaller, stutter steps to perform the movements. Addressing these factors and practicing the movements will create greater muscle balance and a better muscle memory of movements that reduce the risk of an ACL injury.
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