ACL Injury Prevention Programme
ACL Injury Prevention Programme
What is the aim of an ACL injury prevention programme?
  • ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury prevention programmes aim to minimise the health and socioeconomic burden of ACL injuries
  • This is estimated to be $2 billion per year in USA alone

How common are ACL injuries and how many could be prevented each year?
  • Whilst the incidence of ACL injuries a year is not known in the USA alone 350,000 ACL reconstructions are performed each year
  • 70-80% of ACL injuries are non-contact injuries suggesting that a around 300,000 ACL injuries a year in the USA alone can be avoided
  • ACL injury prevention programmes can reduce ACL injuries up to 90% in some studies
  • The risk of non-contact ACL injury in females can be reduced by two thirds  

How do ACL injury prevention programmes work to reduce the risk of injury?
  • ACL injury prevention programmes are designed to improve control and positioning of the leg in space 
  • One of the key factors that increases the risk of ACL injury is the knee collapsing inwards towards the other knee (termed valgus position) when landing:
    • This is due to relative weakness in the core and gluteal (buttock) muscles
    • When a straight line is drawn from the hip to the ankle it should cross the middle of the knee and this should be true when standing as well as jumping and landing

What do ACL injury prevention programmes focus on?
  • There are numerous ACL injury prevention programmes available and they focus on: 
    • Strength: 
      • Focuses on improved hip control
    • Stability
    • Jump training and plyometrics:
      • Improved landing technique with less valgus collapse of the knee and increased flexion at knee and hip
    • Improving fatigue resistance
    • Agility training
    • Skill training: 
      • Better control of body movement especially during pivoting and deceleration

What age group would benefit from an ACL injury prevention programme?
  • These programmes are beneficial for all at risk age groups but the younger the age group that is targeted the bigger the positive impact over time and techniques are improved before bad habits set in
  • The ideal time for starting these programmes is in early adolescence 
  • Several countries have adopted and an increasing number are advocating for these programmes to be incorporated into school’s physical education classes

For more information on ACL Injury Prevention Programme please contact us.
Share by: