Taking A Look At Landing Skill Challenges For Prevention Of ACL Injuries

I was recently reading the article titled “Training for Prevention of ACL Injury: Incorporation of Progressive Landing Skill Challenges Into a Program” that was published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal in 2013 and thought I would highlight some of the key take home messages from the article.

As osteopaths, typically we are concerned with the manual therapy side of dealing with prevention and management of musculoskeletal injuries, however our profession is now starting to integrate a lot more exercise and strength and conditioning into our consultations as part of our movement preparation, injury prevention and performance strategies.

Key Take Home Messages From The Article

  • ACL injuries are one of the most common knee injuries in sport.
  • ACL reconstruction is the typical standard approach to managing athletest who have suffered an ACL injury.
  • Less than 50% of those who undergo a ACL reconstruction return to their sport within 1 year.  25% of these athletes likely to suffer from a subsequent ACL injury.
  • 1 in 2 individuals who have had an ACL reconstruction will develop significant clinical and radiological osteoarthritis of the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints within 10-15 years.
  • Women are 3 times more at risk of injuring their ACL than males.
  • When landing or performing cutting movements i.e. change of direction, a valgus or abducted knee has been associated with ACL injuries.
  • Jump training has been shown to improve landing mechanics as well as functional performance.
  • Typical jump training sessions are closed skill training sessions (same movements in the same environment) which differs to how sports are played.
  • It has been suggested that more open skilled (non planned skills and tasks) be carried out in a more random manner to allow for perhaps a better transfer over to improved neuromuscular performance.
  • A good landing strategy for training should include a relatively upright torso that does not lean or sway in any direction.  Ones arms should not be fixed onto the body to create stability. Ones pelvis should stay level in the sagittal and frontal plane.  The hip should flex greater than 45 degrees and ones hip should not drop into adduction or internal rotation.   Ones knee should flex greater than 60 degrees and not drop into an adducted position.
  • Injury prevention programs such as the one discussed in this article can be performed as an independent program or as a filler during the preseason training program.  During the in season, exercises described in this article can be included in ones movement preparation before both ones training and competition.
  • As with all exercises, it is important that feedback on technique is provided by appropriately trained staff.
  • For more detailed information on the exercise program prescribed in the article, please click here to purchase it.

This blog post was written by Osteopath Heath Williams of Principle Four Osteopathy.

Principle Four Osteopathy

Principle Four Osteopathy is one of Melbourne City CBD leading Osteopathy clinics. At the clinic we treat a wide range of clients, ranging from the office worker, exercise enthusiast to athlete. We have 3 experienced osteopaths working across both of the clinics.

The Melbourne City CBD clinic is located at 29 Somerset Place (basement), close to the corner of Elizabeth St and Little Bourke in the Melbourne City CBD. Our premises adjoin the Jon Weller Personal Training Studio, a fully-equipped training space which allows clients to combine their osteopathy treatment with exercise tutorials or specific training programs and rehabilitation.

The Docklands clinic is located at 717 Bourke St (Ground Floor), beneath the Channel 9 building near the walkway from Southern Cross Train Station to Etihad Stadium. Our premises adjoin Pilates on Bourke, a fully-equipped pilates and yoga training space which allows clients to combine their osteopathy treatment with exercise tutorials, pilates or specific training programs and rehabilitation.

To speak to an Osteopath or book an appointment at Principle Four Osteopathy, please book online or call 03 9670 9290.