Strength N Honor Training Facility is taking steps to address the alarming increase in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among female athletes. According to research, female athletes are up to eight times more likely to suffer from an ACL injury compared to male athletes, and these injuries have increased by over 300% in the past 20 years and over 800% since 1972.
The ACL is a crucial ligament in the knee that helps to stabilize and support the joint during activities such as stopping, starting, twisting, jumping, and landing. These types of movements are essential to any athlete’s development and long-term athletic career, making the health of the ACL of utmost importance.
While many people believe that ACL injuries only occur due to physical contact with another player, the majority of female ACL injuries are actually the result of non-contact. In fact, up to 70% of female ACL injuries happen without any physical contact. These injuries occur when the ligament is overstretched or torn due to abrupt deceleration, stopping, explosive changes in direction, landing incorrectly, or direct contact with another player.
This season-ending injury, which can result from simple movements like running, jumping, cutting, and landing, can have a significant impact on an athlete’s career, especially if not properly rehabbed after surgery. The team at Strength N Honor Training Facility is working to reduce the risk of ACL injuries among female athletes by targeting risk factors such as improper landing techniques, lack of mobility, and muscle imbalances.
Additionally, some of the factors cited by Strength N Honor Training Facility that can be greatly reduced with proper training include poor ankle mobility, muscle imbalances, especially QUAD/HAMSTRING ratio, dormant or weak glutes, hip to quad ratio, improper movement pattern development, lack of deceleration training, poor landing biomechanics, poor conditioning, inadequate nutrition, and overtraining/recovery.
On top of helping athletes reduce their risk of ACL injuries, Strength N Honor Training Facility also aims to help everyday citizens become healthier, happier, and more functional through the use of their training methods and philosophies. Founder Steve Konopka is passionate about passing on the mindset needed to achieve success on and off the competitive playing field to athletes of all ages.
“We are committed to helping female athletes reduce their risk of ACL injuries and achieve their full potential on the field,” said Steve Konopka. “By targeting risk factors and utilizing our training methods and philosophies, we are confident that we can make a positive impact on the health and success of female athletes.”
“There is no such thing as “true injury prevention,” only injury resistance, in my opinion. There are too many risk factors in sports,” Steve Konopka said. “But what we can do is identify the individual athletes’ weaknesses or risk factors and attack them. By being proactive and taking a special interest in proper strength training and movement development, we can greatly reduce the chances of this devastating injury.”