Strategies to Prevent ACL Injuries in Female Athletes
Over 1,000 girls ages 14 to 18 from 52 soccer teams were part of this study. The goal was to see if a sports-specific exercise program could reduce the number of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in females.
A second equally large group of players were compared to the first. The second (control) group did the traditional warm-up exercises. The first (research) group did special warm-up activities, stretches, and exercises just for soccer players. They also watched a soccer training video.
After one soccer season the sports-specific exercise group had 88 percent fewer ACL injuries compared to the control group.
Studies in soccer and other sports show that specific exercise training can cut down on knee injuries. This current study shows how exercise training to improve landing can make a big difference in female athletes.
References: Bert R. Mandelbaum, MD, et al. Effectiveness of a Neuromuscular and Proprioceptive Training Program in Preventing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Female Athletes. In The American Journal of Sports Medicine. July 2005. Vol. 34. No. 7. pp. 1003-1010.
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