Key Points
- The ACL provides rotational stability to the knee, and is often injured in football, which involves sudden direction changes and speed reductions.
- It is important to consider individualised injury prevention programmes to reduce the risk of ACL injuries
ACL Injuries in Soccer
To a lot of us, football is a popular pastime to relax and get away from the stress of daily life. Some of us may play it seriously, while others are mere weekend warriors. But for many, it can become a source of stress when it causes pain and injury. Knee injuries are extremely common among footballers, including sprains, meniscus injuries, MCL injuries, and ACL tears. Let’s talk about ACL tears in particular.
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) runs diagonally across the centre of the knee, connecting the femur (thighbone) to the tibia (shinbone). It is crucial in providing rotational stability to the knee, and prevents the tibia from moving out of position in front of the femur.
ACL injuries usually occur when you make sudden and fast directional changes or stops, such as in sports like basketball, skiing, and football. In football, defensive plays put you at a higher risk of ACL tears as they involve more off-balance landings on one leg. Upon injury, you might hear a ‘pop’ sound, and experience instability and severe pain when trying to put weight on the knee. The knee will swell.
ACL injuries common in Asian soccer!
In January 2021, an article in the British Journal of Sports Medicine sought to investigate the distribution and causes of injury and illness in Asian football by monitoring 22 professional teams from the Asian Football Confederation over 3 consecutive seasons. Compared to previous studies in Europe, the results showed a lower rate of injury but high burden of injury, especially ACL and hamstring injuries. In fact, ACL injuries caused around 30 days lost for every 1000 player hours, and the ACL rupture rate (0.14 injuries / 1000 hours) amongst Asian footballers was almost twice that of Europe.
Can we prevent ACL injuries?
No, we cannot prevent an ACL injury! We can only minimise the risk of an injury! In saying so,, we should consider injury prevention programmes, tailored specifically for you.
At a basic level, it is important to use proper footwear and practise the correct athletic techniques, and perform adequate and appropriate warm ups before a game. A good example is the FIFA 11+ . The FIFA 11+ is a complete warm-up program to reduce injuries among male and female football players aged 14 years and older. Teams that performed 11+ at least twice a week had 30 – 50% less injured players. The program should be performed, as a standard warm-up, at the start of each training session at least twice a week and takes around 20 minutes to complete. This prevents awkward movements, and reduces the severity of injuries. Beyond that, it is crucial to work on your balance and do targeted strength training.
Strength training and ACL injuries
Quads is king as the saying goes. Research has shown that the strength of your quadriceps may be a predictor of the risk of an ACL injury. Strengthening the muscles in your lower limbs can help to prevent the knee from moving awkwardly. Exercises for your leg may include strengthening your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves.
How can Physiotherapy help in ACL injuries?
Again, we cannot prevent ACL injuries! We can help minimise the risk of an ACL injury!
Your Physiotherapists at PhysioX can help to design an exercise program that is well suited to your condition after assessing and identifying potential risk factors for an ACL injury. We will design a programme that is holistic to address any areas of deficit and to strengthen the key muscles of your leg.
Book now or give us a call to schedule an appointment to see our Physiotherapist who will be able to partner you on preventing injuries so you can continue doing the sports you love!
Ref:
Injury and illness epidemiology in professional Asian football: lower general incidence and burden but higher ACL and hamstring injury burden compared with Europe. Tabben M, Eirale C, Singh G, et al. Br J Sports Med 2022;56:18–23.
