LISA TOSCANO BRIANNE CARROLL Preventing ACL Injuries in Females :

Lisa Toscano ( [email protected]) is an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Manhattan College in Riverdale, NY. Brianne Carroll is a third-year physical therapy student in the Department of Physical Therapy at Hunter College in New York, NY. Jumping, landing, cutting, and pivoting are all actions that can contribute to the tear of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The number of female athletes sustaining ACL injuries has grown over the years and has now surpassed the number of injuries sustained by male athletes. Female athletes whose sport involves jumping and cutting are signifi cantly more likely to sustain a serious knee injury than are male athletes participating in the same sports (Hame, 2009; Hewett, 2000). Why is it that women are more susceptible to these injuries than men are? More importantly, can they be prevented? Can physical educators develop a better understanding of joint mechanics to help girls earlier in their development with this widespread problem? Working with girls in physical education class at a younger age may help to correct some biomechanical weaknesses. This article will present physical educators with a practical visual checklist of high-risk behaviors that can lead to ACL injuries when landing. In addition, it will offer some suggestions to help make students stronger while improving the biomechanical weaknesses that can lead to an ACL tear. The goal of this article is to help physical education teachers observe clear signs of biomechanical weakness and encourage the integration of a neuromuscular training program into their physical education curriculum. Introduction to ACL Injuries