Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Preventative Action - Coggle Diagram
Preventative Action
Physical Fitness
In order to be physically prepared for competition an athlete’s physical fitness needs to be at a level that can manage the demands of the competition. Physical fitness helps reduce injuries in sport and is specific to the sport. That is, the athlete needs to be physically fit in all the components of fitness as they are required in their sport.
For an ACL injury in soccer, cardiorespiratory endurance (health-related) and flexibility (health-related) are essential alongside agility (skill-related) and balance (skill-related).
Cardiorespiratory and muscular endurance ensures that players maintain proper form and avoid fatigue during prolonged gameplay. Fatigue can lead to poor movement patterns, increasing the risk of an ACL injury.
Flexibility and muscular strength improves the range of motion in the knees and surrounding joints, reducing strain during sudden directional changes.
strength in medial and lateral ligaments.
Agility helps players make sharp, controlled movements, such as cutting or pivoting, without compromising joint stability.
-
Pre-Screening
Stage 1: Initial questionnaire for health risks (e.g., heart conditions, asthma, diabetes).
Stage 2: Identify risk factors (e.g., family history, behavioral risks).
-
Stage 3: Baseline measurements (e.g., BMI, blood pressure, blood glucose).
EXAMPLE -
-
During pre-screening, an athlete is found to have significant muscle strength imbalances between their quadriceps and hamstrings, or weak gluteal muscles. This is a common risk factor for ACL injuries because:
Quadriceps Dominance: When the quads overpower the hamstrings, it can cause excessive anterior translation of the tibia, increasing strain on the ACL.
Weak Gluteal Muscles: Poor gluteal activation can lead to poor hip stabilization, causing inward knee collapse (valgus) during dynamic movements like jumping or cutting.
Skill + Technique
Poor technique leads to higher injury rates, especially overuse injuries. Incorporating ball. slower form.
Good technique, on the other hand, protects against injury and produces a better performance.
In soccer, ACL injuries often occur during cutting or pivoting movements. For example, a player with poor technique might plant their foot while twisting their body, causing their knee to collapse inward, putting excessive strain on the ACL
Proper skill development and technique refinement—alongside strength training and neuromuscular exercises—are critical to minimizing ACL injury risks.
Warm Up
A soccer-specific warm-up helps prepare muscles, joints, and ligaments for dynamic movements such as sprinting, cutting, and pivoting, which are common in the sport.
Incorporating soccer drills, such as passing and dribbling, towards the end of the warm-up ensures muscles are ready for sport-specific actions, reducing stress on the ACL.
Stretching
Dynamic stretching before a game improves flexibility and prepares muscles for sudden directional changes. Examples include walking lunges and leg swings, which mimic soccer movements.
Stretching as part of regular training programs increases the range of motion around the knee joint, helping reduce strain on the ACL during high-stress actions like cutting and jumping.
Cool Down
A gradual cool down with low-intensity jogging or walking helps return the heart rate to normal and prevent blood pooling.
Static stretching during a cool down focuses on muscles like the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, reducing tightness and improving recovery. This can also help maintain knee stability over time, reducing the likelihood of ACL injuries.
By following these steps, soccer players enhance performance while minimizing the risk of ACL injuries through better preparation, flexibility, and recovery.
-