When my daughter tore her ACL, I couldn’t stop asking “why?” Why did a 14-year-old suffer such a serious injury? Why did our efforts to avoid injuries backfire? And — why did it happen to her?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), ACL tears in kids ages 6 to 18 have increased about 2.3 percent each year for the past 20 years. About 100,000 kids have reconstructive surgery every year. 

In this last week of National Athletic Training Month, let’s all ask: When are we going to do more to prevent this injury?

What’s the problem?

If you do a Google search for “ACL tears girls” you’ll get almost 4 million results. Scan the titles and you’ll find articles like these from health care organizations across the country:

ACL Tears in Young Athletes at Epidemic Levels

ACL Tears More Common in Women and Girls

Why Female Soccer Players Are at Higher Risk of ACL Injuries

You’ll also find many that focus on prevention, like this one that offers tips from Johns Hopkins Medical Center:

Practice good technique. While not a guarantee, proper technique when training and playing a sport can help ward off sports injuries. Work with your coach and/or your sports physical therapist to identify improper form and correct it.

Avoid working out while overly fatigued. When you’re tired, it’s easier to make mistakes or forget about good technique. Getting enough sleep and stopping a workout before exhaustion sets in help to prevent injury.

Work to develop muscle groups evenly. Core and extremity strength are equally important. Focusing on one while ignoring the other increases your risk of injury.

Create a balance between strength and flexibility. Both tight and overstretched muscles are more prone to injury. Working on strength and flexibility in moderation is key.

Eat a balanced diet. Poor nutrition leads to decreased strength, endurance, and attention. Eating well can help improve your focus and performance.

While parents can try to help their kids eat well and get enough rest, the rest of these ACL tear prevention steps require an adult directing and monitoring activities. Most parents and coaches don’t have the knowledge to provide that level of instruction.

What’s the solution?

Research has shown that injury prevention programs can reduce the rate of noncontact ACL injuries by 62%, and while many coaches want or know they should incorporate injury prevention in their practices, only 20% do.

To keep kids playing safely, we need coaches and youth sports organizations to work with their team’s athletic trainer to implement prevention programs. Many studies have shown that just a few minutes of the right exercises incorporated into practice can reduce the number of ACL tears.

Why did it happen to my daughter?

Lauren tore her ACL almost 20 years ago. Her rehabilitation experience inspired her to become an athletic trainer. After treating and rehabilitating injuries for collegiate athletes for eight years, she changed the focus of her career to injury prevention and is currently a PhD candidate at UNC-Chapel Hill. Last fall she had her first article published in the Journal of Athletic Training. Earlier this month she presented her dissertation proposal: Enhancing High School Coach Readiness to implement ACL Injury Prevention Programs.

I no longer ask why it happened to her.

Happy birthday, Lauren!

March Madness 

March is known for basketball tournaments. It is also National Athletic Training Month! 

Resources

ACL Tears in Female Athletes: Q&A with a Sports Medicine Expert, Johns Hopkins Medical Center

STOP Sports Injuries, the National Council of Youth Sports

STOP Sports Injuries Tip Sheets, the National Council of Youth Sports

Understanding Youth Sport Coaches’ Perceptions of Evidence-Based Injury-Prevention Programs: A Systematic Literature Review, Lauren E Hawkinson, Lindsey Yates , Mary Catherine Minnig, Johna K Register-Mihalik, Yvonne M Golightly, Darin A Padua, Journal of Athletic Training, September/October 2022, vol. 57, no. 9/10.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Statements are based on personal experience, credible news articles, research, and medical resources. My intention is to raise awareness. Please learn more and discuss questions and concerns with your family's physician.

 Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva on Pexels