OSR's ACL Injury Prevention Program

OSR’s ACL Injury Prevention Program is designed to help young athletes avoid non-contact ACL injuries as well as improve their overall performance. ACL injuries occur at a staggering rate. Research shows that 1 in every 100 high school participants will experience an ACL injury.  Of those injuries, 70% are non-contact injuries.  Moreover, females are 5-10 times more likely to suffer ACL tears than males.  The frequency upon which these ACL incidences occur is alarming for our young athletes.  An ACL injury presents unique treatment obstacles and is of a severity that implicates the athlete’s future for years to come.

OVERVIEW OF OSR’S PROGRAM

As a full-service physical therapy clinic, OSR strives to provide its patients with the type of preventative care related to ACL injuries.  OSR’s ACL Injury Prevention Program has been designed specifically for female athletes and has demonstrated a 74% decrease in ACL injuries. 

OSR utilizes the Sportsmetrics program to increase knee stability, alignment and strength. Sportsmetrics is the first ACL injury prevention program scientifically-proven to help young athletes avoid non-contact ACL injuries and improve performance.

OSR’s Sportsmetrics Program begins with an initial evaluation of each individual to determine specific athletic strengths and weaknesses. This evaluation will provide a baseline for the program’s design. Each athlete will be screened using video analysis for landing, cutting and jumping techniques. As these measurements continue to increase, we see a direct correlation of injury decrease.

There are three phases to OSR’s Sportsmetrics program:

• Dynamic Warm-up: Prepares the body with functional-based activities that use sport-specific motions. It raises core body temperature, increases blood flow to the muscles and improves flexibility, balance and coordination.
• Plyometrics/Jump Training: Plyometrics, the core of the Sportsmetrics™ program, correct an athlete’s jumping technique.  This phase is divided into three two-week phases. Each phase has a different training focus and the exercises change accordingly. Plyometrics develop the muscle control and strength critical for reducing the risk of knee injury and increasing jump height.
• Speed and Agility Training: Emphasizes body alignment and form through the use of sprinting exercises and cutting movements. The goal of speed and agility training is to condition and increase skill level to empower the athlete so he or she can continue performing at his or her optimal level. 

OSR’s Sportsmetrics Program consists of approximately 45-60 minute sessions at a frequency of three days per week for six weeks.  Programs of this kind are scientifically proven to provide maximum preventative benefit. We pride ourselves on the fact that our program facilitates a uniquely individualized program that will increase an athlete's overall strength, power, explosiveness, body position and neuromuscular control, improving the athlete’s overall performance.

IMPROVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE TRACKING

Each athlete will be evaluated on the first and last day of the 6-week training period. This analysis includes video analysis which investigates an athlete’s knee position in relation to the hips and ankles. This is a critical component to the program, which works to align the hips, knees and ankles promoting the same width between these body parts during all activities.  This alignment decreases the risk of an ACL injury.

Unfortunately, especially in young athletes, this alignment is not naturally present.  Each athlete will receive an individualized analysis that tracks his or her performance from the beginning of the program to the end. The printout below is an example of the tracking methods provided as part of the OSR Program.  

 

The severity of an ACL injury necessitates a proactive approach to preventative measures. OSR seeks to protect its patients from these injuries by utilizing one of the most renowned programs, Sportsmetrics, providing an individualized program for each athlete, and tracking the athlete’s progress to encourage peak performance.   

This article was written by Brian Ommen, DPT. Brian works out of our Chanhassen office.