1. Melissa Kelly’s ACL Injury Prevention Knowledge For Female Athletes

2. Background ACL – anterior cruciate ligament ACL tear:
Provides stability of the knee joint
ACL tear:
Damaged from overstretch or twist
Most common from change in direction, awkward bending, blow to side of knee, leg planted and knee twists

3. Who is more prone to ACL tear?
Females –
“Females are four to six times more likely than boys to suffer a serious non- contact ACL injury” (Horwitz, 2014).
Contact sports
Sports requiring a lot of pivoting/ cutting
Athletes with a strong quad to weak hamstring ratio
Athletes who are knock-kneed
Sports on turf rather than grass

4. Why Females? Hormones – menstruation cycle
Wider hips – more pressure to the medial side of the knee
Causes inward knee alignment and knocked-knees
Greater flexibility
more prone to unsafe overextended movements
Strong quads, weak hamstrings
Hormones – menstruation cycle
Landing flat footed
knee absorbs impact rather than calf muscle

5. Signs and Symptoms Hearing a pop or crack Unstable Swelling Bruising
Pain with ACL based tests performed by trainer or doctor

6. Prevention Strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee Hamstrings
Quads
Glutes
Focus on an equal balance of muscle strength
Jumping and landing
Balls of feet, knees not inward

7. Knock- knee prevention
What is it?
Squat or land – knees collapse inward
Weak hip abductors and glutes
Prevention:
Frontal plane exercise
Lateral band squat walks
Step ups
Band squats (band slightly above knee)
Hip extension

8. Warm Up, Cool Down, Stretch
Dynamic
Target all muscle groups to get warm
Cool down:
Prevents lactate build up
Prevents blood pooling in muscles
Allows muscles to relax
Stretch!!!

9. Key exercises for prevention
Jumping
Jump squats (A)
Lateral bounds (B)
Box jump (C) A B C

10. Single Leg Hip bridge (A) Stability Pad exercises (B) Lunges (C)
Hamstring curls with physio ball (D)
Both legs A B C D

11. References
Horwitz, S., (2014) ACL Injuries: Female Athletes At Increased Risk. Retrieved from -injuries-in-female-athletes