Research Supports ACL Tear Prevention Programs Beginning at Age 11 for Girls
Research supports ACL tear prevention training beginning for girls at age 11. Find out more details in this post.
ACLTear
A recent study: Anterior cruciate ligament laxity and strength of quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip abductors in young pre-pubescent female soccer players over time: a three-year prospective longitudinal pilot study.
…whoo, long title… as I was saying, a recent study was published in Orthopedic Physical Therapy Practice that clearly demonstrates the timeframe and magnitude to which the strength balance of young females’ bodies begins to become unbalanced.
Here’s the abstract:
Purpose: This was a longitudinal study to determine the effects of maturation on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) laxity and muscle strength in pre-pubescent female soccer players. Methods: ACL laxity and quadriceps, hamstrings, and abductors strength were measured annually from 2006 through 2008 in 22 pre-pubescent female soccer players, ages 7-12yrs. Results: ACL laxity increased 2.2 mm (p < 0.0002) in 2007 and 1.7 mm (p < 0.005) in 2008. Quadriceps strength increased 1.9 kg (p < 0.01) in 2007 and 2.1 kg (p < 0.009) in 2008. No significant change was noted in the hamstrings. Abductor strength decreased 3.0 kg (p < 0.0001) in 2007 and 2.3 kg (p < 0.0001) in 2008. Quadriceps to hamstring (Q/H) ratio decreased 0.4 kg (p < 0.02) in 2008. Conclusion: ACL laxity increased with age in pre-pubescent girls. The high Q/H ratio, and decreased abductor muscle strength, indicates an increased risk of ACL injury. Significant changes at age 11.5 occur both in ACL laxity and muscle strength, just one year prior to average age of menses. Girls may be approaching puberty with preexisting muscle weakness and imbalance that may expose them to ACL injury.
The critical pieces to pull from the abstract refer to the combined effects of a high strength ratio between the quadriceps and hamstrings (ideally, you want them to be well balanced and fairly even), the decreasing strength of the abductors (they keep the knee from "caving"), and ever increasing strength of the quadriceps.
It’s worth noting that this study was conducted on girls who are athletes, female soccer players to be exact. So, the increase in ACL laxity was not due to inactivity.
I think it is fantastic that the exact age – 11.5 years – has been pinpointed as the most significant time when this shift towards imbalance is occurring.
What should you do? Well, if you have a daughter, I’d suggest getting her started in a program that has a strong (and highly successful) ACL tear prevention protocol. Training to prevent ACL tears is serious business and, in the long run, it will cost a lot less to PREVENT a tear that to surgically repair and rehab a tear.
A Tip on Programming
If you truly want to become stronger it’s very important that you take careful consideration when planning your training program. One of the biggest factors that comes into play when doing this is understanding your strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately when this task is undertaken solo the former rather than the latter becomes the focus of the program. Usually what happens when you write your own training program is that unbeknownst to you, you have programmed everything your good at and absolutely nothing you’re bad at. Congratulations, you’re going to spend the next 12 weeks not getting any stronger! So the question becomes, how do we avoid wasting 12 weeks of our life? Simple, DON’T do your own programming. The best thing to do is to sit down with someone who is qualified and experienced when it comes to programming (do not ask your training partner, chances are they probably have the same problems you have and are just as biased). Talk to them about your goals, strengths, and problem areas. Based on the information you give them and the programming knowledge they have, they will write you a program that you will absolutely hate! Why will you hate it? Because, it’s going to be filled with a bunch of stuff you’re not good at and honestly who wants to work 4-5 days a week on things they are terrible at? Nobody! But, I promise that you WILL come out 12 weeks later a STRONGER person than when you went in. Trust me I’m just as guilty of this as anyone else;I would much rather feel like Wolverine in the weight room instead of Howard the Duck.
Don’t believe me? I’ll show you. Below you will find two training days from two different programs. The first was written for me by current strength coach, powerlifter, and friend Gabe Naspinski. The basis of which can be found by reading Gabe’s article for EliteFTS. The second is a day that I wrote for myself a while ago.
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Gabe’s |
Mine |
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| A1) | Conventional DL from Deficit | 9X2/60% | A1) | DE Sumo DL with Chains | 8X3 50%+50lbs of Chains |
| B1) | SSB Low Box Squat w/ pause | 4X6 | B1) | Low Box Squat | 4X8 |
| B2) | Pullups throughout session | 40 total | C1) | Barbell Rollouts | 3XAMAP |
| C1) | Band Pull Throughs | 3x15 | C2) | Reverse Hyper | 4X10 |
| C2) | Static/Dynamic Ab Movement of my choice | ||||
I know they don’t seem completely different but let me explain why the day Gabe planned is better for me than the one that I programmed. First let me give you a little background on myself. I have been pulling sumo for the last two years because I’m better at it and that’s how I compete. I am terrible off the floor when deadlifting but pretty good when it comes to locking out at the top. I am also weak out of the hole of my squat but again, pretty good at locking them out. Lastly, I have weak glutes, hamstrings and upper back. Just with that little bit of information it’s easy to see why Gabe’s training day is superior to the one I programmed.
Let’s look at A1; he has me pulling conventional AND from a deficit (this guy has it out for me). This allows me to work on almost all of my weaknesses. Pulling conventional and from a deficit will allow me to get better out of the bottom due to the increased range of motion and it will work on my hamstring and glute weakness as well as my upper back. Now is what I programmed bad? No, but it’s not exposing nor is it helping me work on my weaknesses nearly as much as what Gabe gave me.
We’ll end with talking about the B series. With this series we have two squat variations, again nothing to different. The main difference is the type of barbell used and the utilization of the pause. He has me using a SSB (safety squat bar) which positions the bar higher on my back causing a greater emphasis on back strength as opposed to a straight bar, thus allowing me to work on my upper back weakness. Again, I’m weak out of the bottom of my squat and my glute strength is sorely lacking so naturally we are going to incorporate a low box, which Gabe and I both did. There is one glaring difference though between his and mine….the dreaded PAUSE in the bottom. Now the pause I’m using is only a second long but that one second pause is a dagger (I’m not joking, go try it). This pause is going to allow me to get stronger out of the bottom while also putting much more emphasis on my glutes. Lastly in the B series, you’ll notice the 40 pullups throughout session that are in Gabe’s program and not in mine. Remember that whole weak upper back thing? Interestingly enough Gabe decided to give me upper back work EVERYDAY of my program (I told you this guy has it out for me). But again, my back weakness has been my downfall and he’s making me face it every day forcing me to get stronger.
As I said at the beginning, it’s important for everyone to know their strengths and weaknesses (especially their weaknesses). One weakness that we all share when it comes to training is thinking that we are unbiased when it comes to writing our own program. You might work on SOME of your problem areas if you write your own program but I guarantee it’s not going to be the same as someone else writing it. Don’t spend weeks on end not getting any better, it’s a waste.
Remember, friends don’t let friends write their own programs.
5 reasons why SAPT’s adult training options are for you!
5. Because rather than perpetuate imbalances with your current 60 minute wander around the gym/sit on the recumbent bike, mouth agape routine, you’ll be provided a thorough individualized training program applicable to your specific needs and goals allowing you to hit the gym with vigor and purpose. Dare I say you’ll experience results?
4. Because you won’t be allowed to avoid the things you hate, the things you didn’t know you hated, and learn to embrace these things as the most important parts of your week (well, almost most important). Learn to enjoy movement prep, mobility, and soft tissue drills designed specifically to improve active range of motion around joints and soft tissue quality. Muscular knots and adhesions don’t resolve themselves through quick, unfocused static stretching routines; in actuality, they’ll typically make the knot tighter leading to further discomfort. Knead those knots and adhesions out with our localized soft tissue techniques and experience improved recovery, less inhibited movement patterns, and a general feeling of relief.
3. Though you’ll miss the SAPT coaching staff and community feel of the SAPT training facility during your offsite training sessions, you’ll be able to pacify our SAPT cravings through our thorough and extensive, mobile devise accessible, SAPT Exercise Database. Enjoy the descriptive prose and meticulous demonstrations to ensure you’re executing with perfect form even offsite, on your time. There’s only one way to garner the intended benefit of a training stimulus, and it’s through perfect execution. Going through the motions will elicit blah training effects, plus it’s kind-of unsafe…You exercise to improve your health, right?
2. To stave off type II (fast twitch) muscular atrophy and neural drive impairment. As one ages, without central nervous system activation, and therefore limited type II stimulation, type II fibers will actually disappear (to never return again) and thus significantly lower strength and power output levels. Not only does this present grim performance and overall functionality implications, but structural repercussions as well. Because type II fibers are more hypertrophy inclined, neglecting their recruitment will overtime significantly speed-up muscle mass decline. Consider there is a 10% decrease in total number of muscle fibers per decade after the age of 50, and it’s a wonder the majority of the “well-seasoned” population hasn’t evolved into soft, slithering, amoebas of goo (HA, I had fun writing that!). Our adult programming safely implements compound movements and drills designed to improve power output to elicit the physiological responses necessary to ward off the dreaded “amoeba of goo” condition. Besides, throwing medicine balls is just freakin’ fun.
1. Because you’ll relearn how to take time for…yourself…it’s okay, you’re allowed.
Your first step towards a more pain-free, stronger, youthful you in 2012, starts by clicking here…
You’ll love it…
Chris
9 Days Until Your New Year's Resolutions...
Good morning, everyone! I hope you all have successfully avoided the long checkout lines, pepper-spraying loons, Wal-Mart stampedes and the cologne doused department stores (nausiating, right?). I've already written down what it is I'm thankful for to share at next years Thanksgiving dinner...internet shopping.
So, incase you weren't counting there are only about 9 days until for the eighth year in a row you'll committ to "getting back into it" and losing that spare tire. By the way, did you read this...
Don't let this year blend into your other failed attempts. Contact us today and request a free consultation so we may earn your trust, and demonstrate to you that we posses something that the "other guys" don't.
A protein shake and veggies for Santa and those deer,
Chris
Our take on "sport specific"
Quite frequently we're asked, "Is this (insert sport here) specific training?" Here's our take: Understand that all athletes, no matter what sport, need to engage in general movements to enhance their global strength so to speak; these exercise include squats, deadlifts, rows, unilateral movements, horizontal pressing and pulling, vertical pulling etc. These are, and should be, the bread and butter of every good strength training program.
We also blend drills that have a bit more dynamic correspondence, or specificity, to one’s sport. For instance, with our baseball players we incorporate various overhead and rotational drills with light medicine balls to improve velocities on these various planes of motion.
These occur primarily in the offseason as competing for the energy to develop technical abilities is not as significant. When implementing, we're careful to not too closely mimic the intricate movement patterns required by sport, i.e. throwing a baseball, as this can lead to a hindrance in the actual development and create inconsistencies with that particular skill. Read that again; yes, mimicking too closely, or inappropriately weighting a particular movement can actually prohibit technical mastery of specific sport skill. This is why as one gets closer to a competitive season, and certainly as one is engaged in-season, we wean these drills from the student-athletes program as the acquisition and refinement of sport skills are of paramount importance during this time.
From an injury prevention stand point, we are very cognizant of the stressors placed on the body during various sports, and understand that many of these stressors transcend sports. As such we tend to focus most of our efforts on these areas in an attempt to combat the repetitive and asymmetrical nature of sport. Our efforts are also aimed to improve the shortcomings of the individual as each present their own intimate challenges.
Getting strong all day long,
Chris
Free Training
Experience our distance coaching system for 2-weeks absolutely FREE!!! That’s right, we’re opening-up the vault so you can try a taste of SAPT goodness for yourself:
- 2-weeks (6-sessions) of carefully balanced and scientifically backed programming. This program is designed to mobilize, strengthen, and condition a moderately active adult!
- Step-by-step, in depth coaching cues to ensure you’re performing the movements correctly!
- Training videos presented in HD and accessible via most mobile devices!
To receive your 2-weeks of free programming and access to our online database of exercise videos click HERE. Fill in the relevant fields and indicate “I’d like to try the 2-week free Distance Coaching Trial,” and a SAPT rep will be in touch with you shortly to provide you your program!
On a final, and unrelated, note - as I am posting this, I am drinking the worst "fresh" cup of coffee ever. It tastes like I'm drinking a coffee flavored wet paper cup and it is NOT good.
