I am often asked by my clients how either they or their children can avoid ACL injury while playing sports. The answer is not a simple one.
To be sure, recent science suggests that injuries around those ligaments are hereditary. Therefore, if one has a mother or father that experienced such an injury, there is a significant chance that the child will also experience such an injury. Unfortunately, heredity is a tough dynamic to fight.
Fortunately, there are exercises that can help to prevent ACL injuries. As anything, strengthening those muscles and ligaments surrounding the ACL is optimal towards minimizing the likelihood that standard movements will cause an ACL injury.
How does one strengthen muscles and ligaments around the ACL? One will want to focus on exercises that use weight or resistance. Light resistance training or light weights is probably a good start, building to more moderate weight eventually.
It is really important to strengthen the muscles that involve lateral movement, because most machinery in the gym and resistance bands focuses on straight ahead movements. One piece of equipment that we have recommended to our clients is the lateral sliding board, sold by AgilitySpeedTraining.com. This piece of equipment strengthens muscles that are often difficult to isolate with traditional training methods.
Generally, ACL injuries require one year of recovery. Typically, one year is a minimum. Therefore, equipment that prevents such injuries ultimately becomes very valuable.
One final point of note, logic might suggest that heavy weightlifting strengthens muscles. The logic follows that if weights can strengthen muscles, heavier weights will make them even stronger. However, there is data to suggest that such a conclusion is erroneous. Extremely heavy weightlifting of any kind can lead to muscle damage.
As with any injury, prevention is the key. Aside from heredity, preventing ACL injuries occurs best by strengthening the muscles and ligaments surrounding the ACL. Perform good exercises with light weight and/or resistance training and be certain to utilize equipment which strengthens the muscles involving lateral movement.
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