Jumping through hoops: The path to ACL recovery and prevention
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itting on the couch watching the NBA playoffs, you see your favorite superstar fly through the air going up for a twohanded tomahawk slam. AMAZING. And the crowd goes wild! As he lets go of the rim, you see him come down off-balance, he lands with his right knee buckled inward and he goes down immediately! He’s on the floor shrieking and holding his knee in extreme pain. Later on, you hear on the news that he tore the ACL in his knee and he’ll be out for a number of months for surgery and physical therapy. The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is one of the primary stabilizers that limit excessive movement of the tibia on the femur (your two primary leg bones, which meet at the knee). The ACL will be needed to return to activities involving such dynamic movements as jumping, pivoting and cutting. ACL injuries have become highly studied in regards to mechanism of injury, prevention, and rehabilitation methods. Physical therapy has become an important vehicle in returning individuals to their prior levels of function by correcting any faulty movement patterns that were developed. One of the most important components during the NBA player’s return to basketball will be to ensure that he develops sound squatting mechanics (double- and singlelegged), since these are the base of all jumping maneuvers. After strength is near normal and squat mechanics are sound, the athlete will need to develop the proper jumping and landing mechanics that all jumpers should possess to ensure there is no re-injury. Key components to proper jumping and landing mechanics include: ■ First developing sound squat mechanics (knees over toes, sit butt back), the foundation of jumping. ■ Incorporating strengthening of the posterior chain muscles, such as the hamstrings and glutes. ■ A sound CORE foundation (stabilizing muscles of the trunk). ■ Take-offs and landings with knees in
Health Watch Kristen Welsh
alignment over the feet and tracking over the seconnd toe. ■ Soft and controlled landings to prevent increased joint forces on the lower extremities. ■ Properly supervised training. The next NBA season is in mid-session and you see your favorite player back on the court. In the player’s postgame interview he talks about how part of his rehabilitation focused on development of proper mechanics with squats, jumping and landing, and how important they are in all injury prevention. With proper squat and jump training, any athlete has a very high chance of participating in their sport of choice without an increased risk of injury. ✪ Kristen Welsh is a physical therapist for the Sports Medicine For Young Athletes, a division of Children’s Hospital Oakland with a facility also located in Walnut Creek. If you have questions or comments regarding the “Health Watch” column, write the Sports Medicine For Young Athletes staff at Health@ SportStarsMag.com.
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May 26, 2011
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