How to Keep Your Athlete's Knees Healthy:
Why Young Female and Male Athletes Should Be Trained Differently.
Young female athletes tend to injure the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knees more frequently than young male athletes. The role of the ACL is to prevent the lower leg from moving too far forward at the knee joint. Knee instability can lead to: the overstretching of the muscles and tendons making them weak; injury to the menisci (the cushioning inside the knee); and even the break down of the knee's surface. Research has shown that most of the ACL tears in female athletes are due to noncontact injuries. The knee usually gives out on its own, while the athlete is either landing from a jump or planting a foot to stop and/or change direction, rather than resulting from a collision with another player as primarily seen with male athletes.
An effective training program should focus on exercises that emphasize balance training, core stability and strengthening of abdominal and low back musculature to help maintain proper hip alignment. Even though the exercises for both male and female athletes are similar, the emphasis on how they are performed is different.
The following 6 exercises are key to having your athlete develop a strong musculoskeletal base on which to build muscular strength and endurance, athletic skills, as well as prevent and reduce the risk of noncontact ACL, overuse and overload injuries.
Dry Land Exercises:
| Welcome to Your Dry Land Training | ||
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| Planks. The key to a strong core. | ||
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| Bridges. Develop inner thigh strength & stability. | ||
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Hamstrings. Strong hamstrings = strong knees. |
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| Back Extensions. A strong lower back is a must for racing. | ||
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One-Legged Squats (Straight & Diagonal). Mogul training at it's best. |
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| In Conclusion | ||
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TriSportsTraining.com: Personal Training / Athletic Coaching / Strength Conditioning / Core Stabilization / Therapeutic Exercise for Men and Women.