ACL injuries

[Guest guest]

Do read the following:

Reducing knee and anterior cruciate ligament injuries among female

athletes: a systematic review of neuromuscular training

interventions. J Knee Surg. 2005 Jan;18(1):82-8.

Hewett TE, Myer GD, Ford KR.

There is evidence that neuromuscular training not only decreases the

potential biomechanical risk factors for ACL injury, but also

decreases knee and, specifically, ACL injury incidence in female

athletes. Five of the six interventions in this systematic review

demonstrated significant effects on overall knee or ACL injury rates.

It appears that plyometric power, biomechanics and technique,

strength, balance, and core stability training can induce

neuromuscular changes and potential injury prevention effects in

female athletes.

However, it is unknown which of these components is most effective or

whether the effects are combinatorial. Future research should assess

the relative efficacy of these interventions alone and in combination

to achieve the optimal effect in the most efficient manner possible.

Selective combination of neuromuscular training components may

provide additive effects, further reducing the risk of ACL injuries

in female athletes. Additional research directions include the

assessment of relative injury risk using mass neuromuscular

screening, the development of more specific injury prevention

protocols targeted toward high-risk athletes, and the determination

of when these interventions should be implemented. It may be that

prepubertal or early pubertal female athletes may have the potential

to achieve optimal biomechanical changes and the greatest chance of

injury-free sports participation throughout their careers.

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Neuromuscular training improves performance and lower-extremity

biomechanics in female athletes.

J Strength Cond Res. 2005 Feb;19(1):51-60.

Myer GD, Ford KR, Palumbo JP, Hewett TE.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a

comprehensive neuromuscular training program on measures of

performance and lower-extremity movement biomechanics in female

athletes. The hypothesis was that significant improvements in

measures of performance would be demonstrated concomitant with

improved biomechanical measures related to anterior cruciate ligament

injury risk. Forty-one female basketball, soccer, and volleyball

players (age, 15.3 +/- 0.9 years; weight, 64.8 +/- 9.96 kg; height,

171.2 +/- 7.21 cm) underwent 6 weeks of training that included 4 main

components (plyometric and movement, core strengthening and balance,

resistance training, and speed training). Twelve age-, height-, and

weight-matched controls underwent the same testing protocol twice 6

weeks apart.

Trained athletes demonstrated increased predicted 1 repetition

maximum squat (92%) and bench press (20%). Right and left single-leg

hop distance increased 10.39 cm and 8.53 cm, respectively, and

vertical jump also increased from 39.9 +/- 0.9 cm to 43.2 +/- 1.1 cm

with training. Speed in a 9.1-m sprint improved from 1.80 +/- 0.02

seconds to 1.73 +/- 0.01 seconds. Pre- and posttest 3-dimensional

motion analysis demonstrated increased knee flexion-extension range

of motion during the landing phase of a vertical jump (right, 71.9 +/-

1.4 degrees to 76.9 +/- 1.4 degrees ; left, 71.3 +/- 1.5 degrees to

77.3 +/- 1.4 degrees ). Training decreased knee valgus (28%) and

varus (38%) torques. Control subjects did not demonstrate significant

alterations during the 6-week interval.

The results of this study support the hypothesis that the combination

of multiple-injury prevention-training components into a

comprehensive program improves measures of performance and movement

biomechanics.

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Can anyone give a definition of neuromuscular training. My

understanding is that all training is neuromuscular (Wolff's law)?

Thanks

Carruthers

Wakefield, UK