Prevention Training Effect on Rates of ACL Injuries in Female Adolescent Athletes
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Presenter(s)
Victoria Ellingson
Abstract
Prevention Training effect on rates of ACL injuries in Female Adolescent Athletes
In adolescent female athletes, what is the effect of neuromuscular, core stability, and biomechanical risk prevention training compared to no prevention training on the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries? The search strategy PubMed and google scholar. Search terminology included but not limited to anterior cruciate ligament, female adolescent, biomechanical factors, risk of ACL injuries, soccer female athletes, prevention training for ACL injuries, core stability effect on ACL prevention programs, and neuromuscular effect on ACL prevention programs. All articles were randomized controlled trials except one article which was a controlled laboratory study. All articles were analyzed utilizing the Pedro scale and the Oxford Level of Evidence. The Pedro scales averaged 9 out of 11 with one article not included due to a different type of study. Five of seven articles had an Oxford Level of Evidence of 1b or 1. The limitations of the evidence included not double blinded, short duration of intervention ranging from 6 to 12 weeks, and potential puberty effecting the results. The evidence strengths are that they are all ACL prevention programs, female adolescents, have an intervention group and controlled group free from lower extremity injuries, and are athletes with an identified risk of lower extremity injuries in their sport. The variation in prevention training programs includes neuromuscular training, biomechanical factors, perturbation, strength, flexibility, core stability, and hip exercises. The risk lessened in the evidence that evaluated hip and knee flexion angles, modification of side cutting and single leg landing through neuromuscular training. According to Evens J, et al., the ACL is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee. The annual reported incidence in the United States alone is approximately 1 in 3500 people. Studies state that the incidence rate of ACL injuries is more common in females than in males and more common for female athletes to rupture their ACLs at a younger age. The goal of many researchers is to determine an appropriate prevention training for adolescent female athletes to decrease the risk of ACL injuries. My goal is to determine the effectiveness of these prevention programs and compare the techniques to determine if a prevention program will help reduce the risk of ACL injuries in young female athletes. The strength of this research rated on the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy is 1B. I found three articles to be successful in preventing risk of ACL injuries in female adolescent athletes while four articles were inconclusive. Therefore, prevention training for female adolescents may be helpful in lowering the risk of ACL injuries but further research is needed for the best techniques to use. This review creates awareness of ACL injury risks in female adolescent athletes. Prevention programs for this age group may be needed to help decrease the incidence of these injuries. However, the question remains on what type of prevention training would be best to decrease the risk of ACL injuries and what the program should focus on.
College
College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Department
Health, Exercise & Rehabilitative Sciences
Campus
Winona
First Advisor/Mentor
Brian Zeller
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Format of Presentation or Performance
Pre-Recorded Video
Prevention Training Effect on Rates of ACL Injuries in Female Adolescent Athletes
Prevention Training effect on rates of ACL injuries in Female Adolescent Athletes
In adolescent female athletes, what is the effect of neuromuscular, core stability, and biomechanical risk prevention training compared to no prevention training on the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries? The search strategy PubMed and google scholar. Search terminology included but not limited to anterior cruciate ligament, female adolescent, biomechanical factors, risk of ACL injuries, soccer female athletes, prevention training for ACL injuries, core stability effect on ACL prevention programs, and neuromuscular effect on ACL prevention programs. All articles were randomized controlled trials except one article which was a controlled laboratory study. All articles were analyzed utilizing the Pedro scale and the Oxford Level of Evidence. The Pedro scales averaged 9 out of 11 with one article not included due to a different type of study. Five of seven articles had an Oxford Level of Evidence of 1b or 1. The limitations of the evidence included not double blinded, short duration of intervention ranging from 6 to 12 weeks, and potential puberty effecting the results. The evidence strengths are that they are all ACL prevention programs, female adolescents, have an intervention group and controlled group free from lower extremity injuries, and are athletes with an identified risk of lower extremity injuries in their sport. The variation in prevention training programs includes neuromuscular training, biomechanical factors, perturbation, strength, flexibility, core stability, and hip exercises. The risk lessened in the evidence that evaluated hip and knee flexion angles, modification of side cutting and single leg landing through neuromuscular training. According to Evens J, et al., the ACL is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee. The annual reported incidence in the United States alone is approximately 1 in 3500 people. Studies state that the incidence rate of ACL injuries is more common in females than in males and more common for female athletes to rupture their ACLs at a younger age. The goal of many researchers is to determine an appropriate prevention training for adolescent female athletes to decrease the risk of ACL injuries. My goal is to determine the effectiveness of these prevention programs and compare the techniques to determine if a prevention program will help reduce the risk of ACL injuries in young female athletes. The strength of this research rated on the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy is 1B. I found three articles to be successful in preventing risk of ACL injuries in female adolescent athletes while four articles were inconclusive. Therefore, prevention training for female adolescents may be helpful in lowering the risk of ACL injuries but further research is needed for the best techniques to use. This review creates awareness of ACL injury risks in female adolescent athletes. Prevention programs for this age group may be needed to help decrease the incidence of these injuries. However, the question remains on what type of prevention training would be best to decrease the risk of ACL injuries and what the program should focus on.
