Every athlete knows someone who has suffered a serious knee injury while playing a sport. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries keep athletes out of their sport for up to 1 year, and the costs to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury are estimated to be between $ 15,000 and $ 25,000. As an athlete, parent, or coach, you need to determine whether You, your child, or your team are at risk of serious knee injury. At last, we’ve determined 10 ways to find out if you’re at increased risk for an ACL knee injury.
1. Man or woman? Studies have found that women experience a knee injury at a rate 4 to 6 times higher than men in similar court sports.
2. How old are you? Research has determined that girls from early to late puberty are at increased risk of injury as they show decreased neuromuscular control of the knee when landing after a jumping motion. (Hewett et al. JB&JS, 2004)
3. What sport do you practice? Basketball and soccer athletes experience the highest rate of serious knee injuries. Girls in these sports show the highest injury rates.
4. Does your sport require a jump? A recent study estimated that 70% of all ACL injuries occur when landing from a jump. (Boden et al. Orthopedics, 2000)
5. Do your knees buckle when landing from a jump or cutting? Excessive valgus of the knee (the knees coming together) can be a cause of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
6. Do you have a dominant leg that you use with your sport? Research has determined that the dominant leg has a greater valgus knee (dips inward) when landing from a jump. (Ford et al. ACSM, 2003)
7. Are your hamstrings weak? The hamstrings act as a dynamic restraint for the ACL injury. Most athletes show significant overdevelopment of the quadriceps compared to the hamstrings.
8. Are the other joints lax? Hypermobility of the other joints may be a precursor to ACL injury. Check the mobility of your knee, elbow and little finger.
9. Can you balance on one leg? If you have to touch the ground with your other foot or your knee sags, you are at a higher risk for an ACL injury. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries often occur when landing on one leg or cutting a leg. The athlete needs to dynamically stabilize the knee to prepare for an injury-free season.
10. Can you land a jump softly? If you land a jump from a 12- to 18-inch box with a hard hit, you have a difficult time decreasing the forces of the landing, increasing the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.
If you fall into any of the above risk factors, you should immediately start an ACL injury prevention program. Injury prevention programs have been shown to reduce several of the risk factors listed above. The program should emphasize strengthening / stabilization exercises, plyometrics, and agility training.