This injury is common in winter sports like football, netball, and soccer, and is particularly prevalent among female athletes.
As a result, preventing ACL injuries has become a major focus in recent years.
To understand how to prevent these injuries, we first need to examine how they occur.
ACL ruptures typically result from two main mechanisms.
One is when an athlete changes direction or pivots on their knee with poor technique, and the other is when an athlete lands on one leg after a jump, often following contact with another player.
If an athlete feels their knee buckle and hears a pop, it's likely a serious injury.
Physiotherapists have long believed that conditioning athletes’ bodies can reduce the risk of ACL injuries.
We believed that training athletes to land and pivot with proper technique, strengthening leg muscles, and regularly practising these movements in a controlled environment should help them handle the physical demands of competition.
Well, in great news for physios and athletes alike, research has confirmed this approach is very effective.
Studies show that sports-specific “knee prevention” programs can significantly reduce knee injuries.
Teams completing these programs have been found to experience up to 50% fewer serious knee injuries compared to those using traditional warm-ups.
These programs typically take 15-20 minutes to complete and include running, pivoting, hopping, landing, and strength exercises.
They have been designed with input from coaches from the targeted sport and are not dissimilar to the traditional drills used in regular warm-ups, making them relevant and practical for athletes.
If your club is struggling with ACL injuries, consider exploring injury prevention programs specific to your sport.
Below are some effective options, with all the information on them only a quick google away:
- Netball: The KNEE Program
- AFL: Prep to Play
- Soccer: FIFA 11+
These programs require minimal equipment, are easy to implement, and have proven highly effective in reducing knee injuries.
It’s time to take proactive steps to protect athletes from ACL injuries.
Pat Arnold is a director and sports physiotherapist at Echuca Moama Physiotherapy. Appointments with Pat and his colleagues can be made by phoning 5480 0860 or book online at echucamoamaphysio.com.au
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