Why the PEP Program May Help Prevent ACL Injuries in the NFL
Posted on Mar 12, 2018 10:36am PDT
At one point in history, anterior cruciate ligament injuries were career-ending
for professional football players. Even today, they can sideline a player
for an entire season. On the surface, this might seem like a topic relegated
only to those interested in professional American football. But it really
isn't. It's a topic that should be explored at every level and
age of sport.
As an
orthopedic surgeon, my job on paper is to repair muskuloskeletal injuries in patients once
the damage has already occurred. As a physician, my fellow colleagues
and I have an obligation and strong desire to prevent injuries from occurring
in the first place, when we can. So my odyssey into preventive orthopedic
medicine began more than 20 years ago, when my colleagues and I began
evaluating and
treating ACL injuries in increasing numbers of young female athletes. What fascinated us most
was that many of these injuries weren't the result of a hard fall
or other blunt force trauma. Rather, they seemed to be correlated with
the way the player would jump, land or decelerate. In those players with
hip and leg strength deficiencies, the upper legs would turn in, cause
too much strain on the ACL and sometimes result in a tear.
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