Spring sport season has arrived, and with a surge in activity often comes a surge in injuries. While there is no way to totally prevent an ACL injury, there are definitely ways athletes can train their bodies to better handle the stresses that result in ACL injury.
ACL injuries occur in any sport where athletes move at a high rate, and in different directions. Typically, the injuries happen where there’s sudden deceleration and acceleration in more than one plane of movement — like landing from a high jump, or quickly slowing down and changing directions.
Okay, wishful thinking aside, athletes should and can train their bodies for success. With proper training, the athlete’s body will handle the demands of their sport better to limit injuries and it will make them a better athlete. At Spooner, we take athletes through movements that teach their bodies to learn to decelerate and accelerate in a way that avoids injury, and leads to athletic performance.
Training properly looks different for each athlete, but we do have a few tips to offer:
- Consider a movement screen by a physical therapist.This is to get fresh eyes on your movements and to look for areas of weakness, restrictions and faulty movement patterns. Being proactive will make you stronger, more balanced, and prepared for anything that comes your way. Our therapists watch athletes move all day, so they can easily pick out the areas where you will need to work to better train your body for your sport.
- Don’t feed into bad habits.Pay attention when you train. Your form should be spot-on. Movement patterns take many repetitions to become a habit. Make sure you are going into your training with a focus on repetition of the best form.
- Simulate the sport. Do what your sport does. Move through the similar patterns as you would on the field or court. This may mean that you fold a variety of squats or lunges into your workouts and warm ups.
- Move in all three planes.Move up, down, across and side-to-side in ways similar to your sporting movements.
Train your body to perform at your highest level and to lower the risk of ACL injury. Our goal is to help athletes of all ages and abilities achieve a lifetime of sport.
Spooner Physical Therapy is your sports medicine destination!
Spooner Physical Therapy, in North Mesa, is located at 6824 E. Brown Road, Suite 102. To learn more, call (480) 924-5514, visit spoonerpt.com/locations/north-mesa, or contact Ryan Bell at r.bell@spoonerpt.com.