ACL Injury Prevention Program
The Providence St. Jude ACL Injury Prevention Program introduces a better approach to preventing knee injuries while maximizing performance on the field.
An anterior cruciate ligament or ACL tear is one of the most common season-ending injuries for high school and college athletes. Crucial in providing stability to the knee when running, jumping, cutting, or pivoting, ACL injuries pose a particular risk to female athletes who are 2-10 times more likely to injure the ligament.
Most athletes are unaware of incorrect body mechanics—such as the knees rotating inwards placing tension on the ACL when landing or out of balance quadricep-to-hamstring ratio—that place significant stress on the ACL and not only make injury more likely but decrease performance on the field.
Our St. Jude ACL Injury Prevention Program uses Sportsmetrics™-training, the only research-based injury prevention approach with documented outcomes: a nearly 90 percent reduction in knee ligament injuries along with increases in power, jump height, agility, and performance.
An initial screening allows us to evaluate body mechanics during acceleration and deceleration. As the athlete performs a series of physical movements, video analysis software objectively measures factors such as knee stability during landing and jumping.
Specially designed workouts, performed three times a week for six weeks, use plyometrics, strength training, speed and agility drills, and flexibility training to increase knee stability, decrease peak landing forces on the knee, increase ham-quad peak torque, and other key outcomes.
Through a specific progression of drills, neuromuscular training moves from technique development to performance improvement with each session building on the previous one.
While perfecting jumping and landing mechanics, athletes build balanced leg strength, improved symmetry in right-to-left leg power, and increased vertical jump capability—while dramatically reducing their risk of being sidelined by knee injury.
High school and college athletes in almost any sport including soccer, basketball, volleyball, hockey, and lacrosse, can gain a physical foundation for attaining their highest potential in sport-specific skills.
Our Sportsmetrics™-certified physical therapists work with individual athletes, small groups, or entire teams, customizing training to address issues identified in the athlete’s assessment.
To sign up for an upcoming six-week training—or to learn more about our program—please call 714-578-8706 ext. 2377 or email us at CRWSportsPerformance@providence.org.
Both the video analysis and six-week training program can take place on the field before or after practice, or at our nationally recognized Providence St. Jude Centers for Rehabilitation and Wellness in Brea.
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