Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury affects as many as 250,000 individuals in the United States annually, resulting in an annual health care cost exceeding $2 billion. This injury typically occurs in the physically active population, and while the incidence of ACL injury is greater in males due to greater exposure to physical activity, the relative risk of injury per exposure is 2 to 8 times greater in females. With increases in the number of individuals routinely involved in purposeful physical activity associated with public health initiatives such as Healthy People 2010, the number of ACL injuries is likely to increase. Furthermore, ACL injury, whether managed surgically or conservatively, substantially increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis, a condition that adversely affects quality of life and may indirectly lead to obesity due to a pain-induced sedentary lifestyle. Prevention, rather than treatment, is the pivotal issue in reducing the public health burden of ACL injury. (CDC, July 2010)
As Therapists, Athletic Trainers and Strength & Conditioning specialists, you play a critical role in assisting your clients and athletes in preventing this devastating injury.
If you would like to learn more on what you can do to help your clients and athletes, be sure to check out Allied Health Education’s live & on-demand continuing education webinar – “Developing Fit Knees: Current Concepts in ACL Injury Prevention” presented by Brian Schiff, PT, OCS, CSCS. Be sure to check out our live webinars for the next upcoming live presentation of this course. Can’t join us for the live version or prefer to do it on your own schedule? Check out our on-demand version HERE that you can complete at your convenience. This course is approved for PT CEUs in most states. This course is also approved by the NSCA for CSCS CEUs. Allied Health Education is also a BOC approved continuing education provider for Athletic Trainers.
Looking for some additional ACL injury prevention tips & information? Check out a few of Brian’s blog posts below discussing Drop Landing Exercise & Reinjury Rates in Young Athletes undergoing ACL Reconstruction:
Reinjury Rates in Young Athletes undergoing ACL Reconstruction