EXERCISES THAT CAN PROTECT YOUR ACL
What is the ACL and how is it protected?
The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is a major stabilizing ligament in the center of the knee that connects the femur (thigh) to the tibia (shin bone). It is frequently torn or sprained during sudden stopping, pivoting, or jumping activities. The most effective techniques for preventing ACL tears include lower-body and core strengthening, practicing soft and controlled jump landings, and agility drills. This blog will explore risk factors, as well as a comprehensive prevention guide to keep you doing the things you love!
Most ACL tears occur without contact and are often due to a quick change of direction or awkward landing. ACL tears typically require surgical reconstruction, as well as 8-12 months of rehabilitation. When the ligament ruptures, the athlete will experience:
- A popping sensation
- Rapid knee swelling
- Knee instability
- Difficulty bearing weight
- Loss of motion
Know your risk
Athletes who participate in sports involving frequent pivoting, cutting, and frequent deceleration, are most prone to ACL tears. This includes sports such as basketball, soccer, lacrosse, gymnastics, and skiing.
Studies have shown that female athletes are 2-8x more likely to tear their ACL compared to men. In fact, ACL tears occur in women at least 38,000 times per year, making them one of the most common types of injuries in young female athletes. This is due to hormonal, biomedical, and anatomical factors.
Hormonal – Research shows that the elasticity of collagen in the knee is impacted throughout different stages of the menstrual cycle
Biomedical – Women have wider hips and are more knock-kneed (knees tilt inward). This alignment alters the knee joint
Anatomical – Women often land from jumps or change directions with a more upright posture, straighter knees, and lower core engagement. Men often do so with more bent knees and higher core engagement, which may help absorb forces more effectively.
Many ACL Injuries are Preventable.
Whether for injury prevention or rehabilitation post-surgery, ACL strength training is a must for any athlete. However, when starting ACL strengthening exercises, it is important to start slow. First focus on gentle movements that help extend the range of motion and improve muscle strength, rather than putting excessive weight or stress on your knee initially.
Important to note
Stretching should not be an option; it is a necessity! Whether you’re a parent, player, or coach, incorporating proper flexibility training into every practice and game can help keep athletes performing their best and staying off the injury list.
ACL strengthening
- Walking lunges – target quads, hamstrings, and glutes, and improve balance and core stability
- Hamstring leans – improve flexibility, increase mobility, and alleviate lower back or knee pain
- Single toe raises – build strength in shins and ankles, improve balance, and prevent falls
- Squats – build lower body strength and improve mobility
- Split jumps – strengthen leg muscles and improve balance and coordination
- Hip bridges – strengthen glutes, hamstrings, and lower back
- Straight leg raises – strengthens quadriceps and hip flexors
- Weighted calf raises – strengthen lower leg muscles
* The above exercises are some of the most recommended for ACL prevention; however, they must be done regularly to ensure strengthening. If done consistently, they will strengthen the muscles in the thigh and lower leg.
ACL prevention band exercises
Resistance bands offer many benefits and are often better than using weight. This is because the momentum of weights can cause a workout to feel more strenuous, while resistance bands provide no momentum. Bands are portable, lightweight, and inexpensive, and can be used for a variety of exercises.
These exercises aim to strengthen the core. Core strengthening is very important in ACL prevention, because the core includes all the body muscles, other than arms and legs.
- Standing knee tuck
- Hollow body roll
- Bicycle crunch
- Side plank
- Single-leg T row
- Spiderman push-up
- T-rotation lunge
- Unilateral squat
- Forward and backward band walk
*While doing every exercise isn’t necessary to strengthen core, a variety of exercises can prevent boredom and make giving up on strengthening exercises less likely. Also, while these exercises are effective for prevention, please consult with a healthcare professional or physical therapist ir you are recovering from an injury or surgery.
Additional factors to decrease ACL injury risk
*These are especially important for females. 80% ACL injuries in females occur without any contact from another person. In addition to devoting considerable time to the exercises already listed, other factors to preventing injury include:
- Stretching fully before any exercises or athletic activity
- Practice proper landing techniques
- Landing with knees bent but legs kept in a straight line
- Landing on the balls of your feet instead of the entire foot or heel
- Maintaining a proper body posture when landing
- Ensuring both feet land simultaneously
- Practicing proper pivoting (in a slightly crouched position, with hips and knees slightly bent)
- Increased agility by practicing running, stopping, and pivoting while maintaining proper body position
START GETTING BACK
THE LIFE YOU LOVE
