How to Prevent Injury and Enhance Performance for Young Athletes

With fall and the return to school comes the competitive sports season of soccer.

National Institutes of Health Medicine Plus reports that overall, girls are 2 to 8 times more likely to suffer an ACL (the ligament that stabilizes the knee) injury than boys!

Why such a difference?

• Differences in bone structure and effects of hormones on ligaments
• Landing flat footed
• Difference in ratio of strength front to back in hip/thigh muscles

How can you minimize the chances of this happening?

Demo 1: Avoid flat footed landings: “Soft landing over cones”- side to side and front to back.

Demo 2: Improve Strength Ratio: “Norwegian HS curls”

Demo 3: Agility: Bounding run

While the program was specifically designed with soccer-specific drills, it also may be modified for use in other high-risk team sports such as basketball, volleyball and girl’s lacrosse.

If you are interested in a personalized program to help keep your athlete at the top of their game be sure to take advantage of our free pain consultation at our Gorham, South Portland, or Portland clinics.