Helping to Keep Our Girls Injury Free

Knee injuries, particularly injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), are increasing at an alarming rate among young women soccer players. More than 1 in 10 collegiate athletes suffers a serious knee injury.  On Div I teams that number is closer to 1 in 5.  ACL tears are reported in more than 20,000 high school athletes each year. The interesting thing is: the injury rates in female athletes are estimated to be four to six times greater than that of their male counterparts.

Why is this happening to our girls?  We don’t know the complete answer yet.  Yes, their anatomy and physiology is different: we can’t change that.  But what researchers have identified is: girls move differently from boys. They tend to be more upright, straight-legged and quadriceps-dominant when they run, turn and land. Not coincidentally, most of the ACL tears are happening when girls decelerate to cut, change direction or land a jump.  Girls who move more like the boys are not nearly so ACL prone.

What can we do for our girls?  Help them make safe biomechanics a natural part of their game.  Fit2Finish’s KIPP program and others like it across the country have already shown significant reductions in girls’ knee injuries. We employ specialized training to develop balanced leg strength, insure moderate flexibility, and increase agility and body control. Not only does this protect knees, but it also enhances quickness, strength and jumping ability. 

We come to you! Fit2finish comes to your practice site to give individualized attention to differences in body build, movement, strength, and balance. And we design the training to be fun and appropriate for the age and developmental level of your athletes. Coaches are encouraged to participate so they can better employ the KIPP principles.

Is this one more thing coaches have to fit into limited practice time? NO, it should not be an addition to an already full training schedule. Overtraining of athletes is rampant!  This training can serve as your warm up and it requires little or no new equipment.

Check out www.Fit2Finish.com for more info.  Contact us on the website or at wlebolt@cox.net or (703) 298-2280 to schedule a sample session.

Yours in Good Health and Good Soccer,

Wendy R LeBolt, PhD