Five Tips to Prevent ACL Injuries

Are you an athlete concerned with sustaining injuries that will interrupt your sports season?  As an athlete, you work hard, train, practice, and devote countless hours to your physique, skill, and mindset to improve your game and prepare you for your season.  Sudden injuries, like ACL injuries, can be debilitating, severe, and concerning for athletes.  As an orthopedic surgeon in Lake Mary, our sports medicine specialists work with many athletes to prevent, treat, and recover from these common ACL injuries.  Although these injuries are traumatic to the body and require intensive treatment or surgical repair, they can be prevented by following a few practices.

Don't Skip Stretching

Many athletes or active individuals know that they should stretch before they engage in physical activity, but they may still opt out of it.  When your muscles are stiff, they are more prone to injury.  By stretching, you loosen up your muscles so they are warm and adjusted to movement by the time you get started with your sports or exercise routine.

Practice Strength Training

When your knee tendons and ligaments are weak, you will be more prone to knee injuries and tears.  By performing targeted strength training for your knee, you will keep the ligaments and muscles around the knee in optimal shape.  Exercises such as plyometrics that encourage jumping and strengthen both quadriceps and hamstrings are recommended.

Improve Your Balance

By strengthening your overall balance and core strength, you improve your ability to stay coordinated on the field.  You will also want to focus on strengthening the muscles in your ankles and your feet so that you can prevent any awkward twists that can cause severe tears or injuries.

Wear the Right Shoes

When it comes to avoiding injuries, it isn't only about making sure that your body is in the best shape. You also want to be sure to wear the right equipment and have a proper pair of shoes.  The shoes that are required will depend upon the sports or exercise that you are doing.  For example, soccer player require cleats and ballet dancers require ballet shoes.  Be sure that your shoes have the proper cushion and support.  Replace old, worn shoes as soon as possible to prevent issues with your movement and balance, which can result in accidents that knee and ACL injuries.

Talk to a Specialist

When you are concerned about your health and safety while staying active, contact a specialist to discuss preventative measures you should be taking.  If you have suffered from an ACL tear or injury, seek medical help immediately to determine the right course of treatment and prevent further damage.

These are some of the ways that you can prevent ACL injuries in your sport.  Athletes train hard, and the constant motion, activity, and training can be taxing on the body.  Take the time to give your body the restoration it needs and invest in the right equipment to keep your body safe.  If you have concerns about sports injury or you've sustained a severe injury on the field, contact our orthopedic surgeon in Lake Mary today.