Knee injury prevention workout

[Au575]

http://aclprevent.com/pepprogram.htm

I recognize that ACL injuries are not typically the root cause of type of chronic pain that we cyclists complain-of, but this looks like a pretty good program for overall knee health. Besides, I suspect most of us ski...

Hat tip to the NYT's Health newsletter for highlighting this.

[mfoga]

I wish there was more supporting info there because I just don't see how this is going to help prevent ACL injuries. In my experience they are typically caused by an impact to the knee or footing(ie holes). It looks like a good warm up designed specifically for soccer.

[Au575]

Originally Posted by mfoga

I wish there was more supporting info there because I just don't see how this is going to help prevent ACL injuries. In my experience they are typically caused by an impact to the knee or footing(ie holes). It looks like a good warm up designed specifically for soccer.

I totally agree that more data would be nice - I'll be interested to see if this group's three-year data shows a difference in injury rates. This program was conceived to help young girls build strength and flexibility for field sports, so your perception is spot-on.

I do believe, though, that the kind of stretching and plyometric work they suggest can go a long way towards reducing the chance of a non-impact related injury (like the 'phantom foot' injury from slow, twisting falls). Especially for relatively untrained or weak athletes.

Their program just resonated with me because I've been considering adding more stretching and flexibility exercises to my workouts.

[reflux]

Hmm, interesting stuff. Once I get back into the swing of things, I might throw it in with my weekly sprint sessions. Based on everything I have been reading over the past year, the knee joint needs stability (read: strength work), not flexibility. The same goes for the (lower) back.

[jeffj]

The mother of one of the girls I used to coach (soccer) was part of this project some years ago.

One of the things they were concerned with was that girls that just played soccer would only develop certain muscle groups and not others to the point that it would make them more vulnerable to an injury such as an ACL tear. They were trying to develop an exercise and workout regimen to balance this out.

I could see how that idea could relate to cyclists.

Another component was to train them to make movements that would lessen the chance of an ACL injury habit by practicing them to the point where they become instinctive.

It's good to the project has progressed to this point.

[0gravity]

Originally Posted by reflux

Based on everything I have been reading over the past year, the knee joint needs stability (read: strength work), not flexibility.

I'm pretty sure that's right. For what I can add, my girlfriend's dad is a really experienced ortho who helped me through an ACL tear and other complications some years back. He really stresses building up strong hamstrings. That's the opposing muscle group, or complementary muscle that protects your ACL from tears. Gym work is ideal, but if you don't go to the gym you can also get physical therapy rubber bands and set something simple up at home to do hamstring curls. I should be doing them but I'm lazy and my knee hasn't bothered me (knock on wood).

Originally Posted by jeffj

The mother of one of the girls I used to coach (soccer) was part of this project some years ago.

One of the things they were concerned with was that girls that just played soccer would only develop certain muscle groups and not others to the point that it would make them more vulnerable to an injury such as an ACL tear. They were trying to develop an exercise and workout regimen to balance this out.

I could see how that idea could relate to cyclists.

Another component was to train them to make movements that would lessen the chance of an ACL injury habit by practicing them to the point where they become instinctive.

It's good to the project has progressed to this point.

In addition....I read a big article on the dramatically higher incident of girls tearing their ACLs in soccer. The determination, basically, was that girls don't know how to jump properly and land in safer, more bent knee positions.

[jeffj]

Originally Posted by 0gravity

In addition....I read a big article on the dramatically higher incident of girls tearing their ACLs in soccer. The determination, basically, was that girls don't know how to jump properly and land in safer, more bent knee positions.

Yes, and to land with the knee bent and take another short step before changing direction instead of merely using the hyper-extended knee/leg as a brake.

[reflux]

That NYT article was eye-opening. Quite scary too from a parenting standpoint.