Free Gym Bag Tags With ACL Prevention Exercises Could Help Save Athlete's 'Knees for Life'

CHICAGO, Sept. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention parents of athletes who want to prevent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries -- you can get a free gym bag tag listing ACL injury prevention tactics and pre-game warm up exercises.   The laminated tags can be ordered at www.kneesforlife.org, a website featuring information about an Illinois campaign to stop the rising number of ACL injuries among young athletes and stressing the need for prevention programs.  The "Knees for Life" program is sponsored by the Illinois Athletic Trainers Association (IATA) and Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (MOR) sports medicine physicians who are team physicians for the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Bulls.

The ACL is a ligament connecting the thigh bone to the shin bone. It stabilizes the knee and prevents forward movement of the lower leg.  Athletes prone to ACL injuries usually participate in sports that require pivoting, accelerating and turning quickly, planting or cutting.  Typically, these are kids who are in cheerleading or gymnastics or play football, hockey, soccer, lacrosse, basketball and volleyball.

Over the past 10 years, ACL injuries have been skyrocketing in athletes under age 25, especially females.  In fact, the number of young patients with ACL injuries tripled in just five years at MOR.

"Knees for Life" urges coaches of school and travel teams to implement ACL injury screens and prevention programs because research indicates that ACL injuries can lead to other knee problems for patients. In fact, studies show that athletes with ACL injuries are up to 10 times more likely to get knee osteoarthritis early and 50 percent of ACL patients will develop knee arthritis in 10 to 20 years. 

The IATA, an advocate for safety in sports, and MOR designed "Knees for Life," to educate athletes, coaches and parents about steps they can take to help prevent ACL injuries.  A recent study showed specific types of physical training can reduce the risk of an ACL injury as much as 72 percent.

The tag incorporates several prevention tactics, including scissors jump to lunge and one-leg hop exercises to help athletes strengthen the muscles around the knees and also improve balance, agility, stamina and speed. To order the free tags and to download an ACL injury prevention brochure:  www.kneesforlife.org, or call 630-986-8749.

SOURCE Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush