SoCal Flipbooks

Health Matters: Providence St. Jude Medical Center | 5 A n anterior cruciate ligament or ACL tear is one of the most common season- ending injuries for high school and college athletes, and with the popularity of club sports it routinely impacts athletes as young as 11. Crucial in providing stability to the knee when running, jumping, cutting, or pivoting, ACL injuries pose a particular risk to female athletes, who are 2-10 times more likely to injure the ligament. The good news? Evaluating an athlete's body mechanics can identify those at higher risk, while targeted exercises to correct deficiencies and improve stability and strength can dramatically reduce that risk. A unique new program at Providence St. Jude is helping entire teams, as well as individual athletes, do exactly that. The program uses the Sportsmetrics™ training approach—which offers an 88% reduction in knee injuries along with increases in power and jump height—and begins with a 10-minute screening to evaluate body mechanics during acceleration and deceleration. As the athlete performs a series of physical movements, video analysis software objectively measures factors such as knee stability during landing and jumping. The screening can be performed on the field before or after practice, or at the St. Jude Centers for Rehabilitation. "Most athletes are completely unaware of body mechanics issues, such as the knees bending inward when landing or an out-of- balance quadricep/hamstring ratio, which place significant stress on the ACL," explains Bethany Strader, PT, DPT, a board-certified specialist in orthopedic physical therapy. "The result is not only a higher risk of injury but reduced performance on the field." Specially designed workouts, performed three times a week for six weeks, use plyometrics, strength training, and flexibility training to increase knee stability, decrease peak landing forces on the knee, increase ham-quad muscle peak torque, and other key outcomes. "It's heartbreaking to work with athletes who have lost scholarships, missed recruiting windows, or spent entire seasons sidelined Keeping Athletes on the Playing Field New ACL injury prevention program We offer one of the nation's most comprehensive array of services and programs. Some have collected prestigious honors and accreditations; others have redefined the standard of care. But all are at the forefront of changing lives. For more information about our inpatient rehabilitation services, please call us at 714-447-6405. • Amputee services • Aquatic therapy • Back pain program • Balance and vestibular program • Biofeedback • Brain injury and cognitive recovery program • Cancer rehabilitation and wellness program • Children's therapy, from bed-wetting issues to speech impediments • Chronic pain program • Chronic pelvic pain program • Communication recovery groups, including Parkinson's and aphasia groups • Community groups to strengthen recovery skills in an encouraging social setting • Concussion clinic • Driving assessment and evaluation • Exercise classes, from Pilates to Tai Chi, adapted for those with medical conditions • Hand therapy • Inpatient rehabilitation unit • Joint replacement recovery and rehabilitation • Neuropsychology evaluations and counseling • Nutritional and wellness coaching • Occupational therapy • Pediatric gym • Pelvic floor rehabilitation • Physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic (follow up care post-hospitalization) • Physical therapy • Post-COVID rehabilitation program • Speech and swallow therapy • Spinal cord injury program • Sports injury prevention and recovery • Stroke recovery program because of an ACL tear," explains Bethany, who is certified in Sportsmetrics™ training. "Bringing the same expertise to preventing ACL injuries as we do treating them is exciting." To learn more about the ACL Injury Prevention Program or to schedule an evaluation for a team or individual, please call 714-578-8706 ext. 2377.

• Cover