How do you prevent ACL tears?Ĭomplete prevention or eradication of an injury, like most things, is likely impossible. The hamstrings truly are the “best friend” of the ACL. Because Jamaal’s knee was fully extended, the hamstrings in effect, could not do their job and protect the ACL. In this position, the hamstrings can help “pull back” the tibia, almost like pulling the reins on a horse. Henning also found that with the knee in flexion (“bent”), the strain on the ACL was significantly reduced. The equation is pretty clear here – rapid, forceful quad contraction + full knee extension + ACL resisting so much of the force = ACL tear. Previous studies by orthopedist Chuck Henning found that there is a “quad-cruciate interaction.” He found that with the knee extended, like in Jamaal’s case, the load on the ACL increased significantly, providing 85% of the resistive force. The ACL is there to protect that movement. When an athlete does these movements, the quadriceps muscles contract, and this contraction pulls the tibia forward. As stated above, the ACL protects against the tibia or “shin bone” from moving forward too far when an athlete plants, jumps, or lands. For the sake of not making this blog really, really long, we’ll just talk about Jamaal Charles’ situation. There are numerous factors that have been linked to ACL tears including neuromuscular, biomechanical, hormonal, and structural causes. The ACL also protects against too much rotation in the knee. The ACL has a huge job – it resists 85% of this movement. The ACL resists forward movement of the tibia (“shin bone”) on the femur (“thigh bone”). Looking at the video, it is evident that Jamaal Charles had the perfect storm – non-contact, plant/cut, straight-leg landing, and one-step stop with the knee extended. We also know from previous studies that there are basically three main ways they tear: planting and cutting, straight-leg landings, and one-step stops with the leg knee fully extended. We know that about 75% of ACL years are non-contact. If you look closely, you can see that after he plants and cuts, his knee collapses inward a little. This begs the question if it could have been prevented or if this is just “one of those things” that happens? The play he injured his knee this time was as benign as it gets. He has performed probably hundreds of thousands of the same maneuvers over the last few years since his previous ACL tear. Jamaal Charles is an elite athlete and recovered from a previous ACL tear. Physical therapists, scientists, athletic trainers, and a host of other professionals are constantly researching ways to prevent sports injuries from hamstring strains to concussions to ankle sprains to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. The age-old question after tragedy strikes is “ could it have been prevented?” The same is said with many sports injuries too. He previously tore the ACL in his other knee in 2011 and once again became the stud he prior to that injury once he returned. Turns out the fears of Chiefs nation were realized when it was determined that he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Chiefs fans held their collective breath hoping that he would be OK. The silence at Arrowhead Stadium last Sunday when Chiefs stud running back Jamaal Charles didn’t get up after a play was deafening. Could Jamaal Charles’ Injury Have Been Prevented?
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