Torn ACL Takes Gymnast Out of the Olympics

Examiner.com reports: 

A torn left ACL sustained during a competition in France over the weekend has ended Julie Croket's chances for the London Olympic Games.

Croket, the Belgian star with the elfin face, has been arguably the best in her country since becoming a senior in 2010. Her engaging and difficult floor routine, which delighted the home crowd in event finals at this year's European Championships, made her a darkhorse favorite for an event final in London.

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According to the broadcaster Rtbf.be, the Belgian Federation hopes to replace Croket, who turns 18 on July 1, with 2008 Olympian Gaelle Mys, the second strongest gymnast on the team at the European Championships. Mys will have to receive approval from the Belgian Olympic Committee before she'll be cleared to represent her country at the Olympics.

After Euros, when it appeared Croket had the country's single Olympic berth wrapped up, Mys wished Croket the very best in her preparations, saying she didn't consider Croket a rival.

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ACL Injury Prevention Program

Ridgefield's HamletHub reports:

Sportsmetrics, an ACL injury prevention program designed specifically for high school age female athletes, will be returning to Ridgefield High School for its 4^th season.  The program, which runs from June 26^th to August 23^rd, teaches jumping and landing technique, strengthening and balance to help females combat their significantly higher risk of knee injuries.

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1 in 100 US female high school athletes will suffer a serious knee injury. In sports involving cutting, jumping, landing and pivoting the risk of tearing the Anterior Cruciate Ligament becomes 2 to 10 times higher in female athletes than in male athletes.  “It’s the way females land from a jump, or the way they cut when running” say Kate Campbell, a physical therapist and Director of the Sportsmetrics program. “Females don’t have the strength to get into the right position like males do.  We teach young women how to jump and land properly, and that’s what makes the difference."

Past Sportsmetrics programs conducted at RHS have provided positive results for participants.  Almost 100 girls have attended the program and not one has suffered a non-contact ACL tear from sports.  In addition, biomechanical testing performed before and after the program has shown a 38% reduction in the number of athletes considered at “high risk” for major knee injury (as determined by knee position on landing).

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ACL Injuries in Young Athletes

WFAA.com reports:

I have many young patients that are regular soccer players and many of them are adolescent girls. A recent article in the British Medical Journalcaught my eye. The title “Simple Warm-Up Program Prevents Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries”. 

In my early days of training, I was taught that children rarely had ligamentous injuries especially involving their knees. Boy has that information changed over the years! I can’t even count the number of teenage patients of mine who have had serious knee injuries, many requiring surgeries and some injuries ending their athletic careers.  

We now know that adolescent female soccer players experience anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injuries at a rate that is twice that of their male counterparts.  This study looked at whether these serious injuries can be prevented. 

4,600 females between the ages of 12 - 17 years participated in the study. Two-thirds were instructed in how to perform a 15 minute warm up program focusing on new control and core stability. This consisted of 5 minutes of jogging followed by six exercises (one-legged knee squat, two-legged knee squat, lunge, bench press, jump/landing technique, and pelvic lift).  The program was completed twice weekly during soccer season and progressed through 4 levels of difficulty. 

The outcome? Seven players in the intervention group, and 14 in the control group experienced ACL injuries. The rate of ACL injury was 64% lower in the intervention group. Pretty impressive! 

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Shannon Orton keeps on pitching

The Herald News reports:

Her anterior cruciate ligament was torn, but Shannon Orton wasn't.

Faced with the choice of having surgery immediately and missing her senior softball season or postponing the operation and spending most of her summer laid up in recovery, the decision was a no-brainer for the Case High School pitcher.

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"I didn't want to miss my senior year of softball," said Orton, who tore the ACL in her right knee during a basketball game at Bishop Stang on Dec. 27. "After the MRI, I was told I could have surgery now and have a 4-6 month recovery period, which would put me in July, or I could get a brace and hold the knee together and postpone the surgery until after the softball season."

Orton's decision was easy. Her surgery is set for July 5.

"My doctor understood my situation," Orton said. "He told me I couldn't damage it any more."

"I haven't seen anyone as driven as Shannon," said Case coach Norm Beauchemin. "She has so much passion for the game. She did a lot of rehab with (Case trainer) Russ Boardman and he said she was determined to pitch. She has had a great year for us."

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ACL injuries more common in women

http://www.wlfi.com reports:


"We were in a scrimmage against ISU and I went to make a move to the basket, and my body went one way and my knee went the other. It just snapped," said Purdue Women's Basketball player Drey Mingo. "I knew immediately. I was just kind of like 'Oh my gosh, is this happening?'" 

An ACL tear is one of the most dangerous injuries in sports and among the most common. 200,000 ACL tears occur each year in the United States, and the most likely candidates are women. 

"Females, depending what sport they play, are about two to ten times more likely to tear their ACL than males," said Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Robert Hagen. 

Dr. Hagen said it's usually the collegiate and professional athletes you hear about tearing their ACL's, but he said that's because of their high profile status. He said the ones in real danger are actually adolescent girls around the age of 13. 

"There's some anatomical reasons," said Dr. Hagen. "The area where the ligament attaches is a little smaller in a female. They land differently, if you watch junior high girls playing and boys playing, girls tend to land with their hips straight and their knees straight, where guys land with their knees flexed and their hips flexed." 


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Bay Area top girls basketball player on the mend

Bay News 9 reports: 

One of the Bay Area's top girls basketball players is on the mend following surgery to repair a torn ACL.

Riverview junior guard Tesha Hanson had surgery nearly two weeks ago, her father Reggie Hanson said, and has already begun physical therapy.

Reggie Hanson, USF's Men's Director of Basketball Operations, said his daughter will be ready for the high school season.

Last season, Hanson was the Sharks second-leading scorer with a 19.0 points per game average. She was also second on the team with 3.9 steals per game.

Hanson, and Riverview's leading scorer Faith Woodard, form one of the best combos in Hillsborough County. Riverview (21-5) closed out the season with two-straight losses - to Tampa Bay Tech in the district championship game and to Haines City in the first round of the playoffs.

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Penny Taylor underwent successful surgery

WNBA.com reports:

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Phoenix Mercury forward Penny Taylor underwent successful surgery to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, the club announced today. The surgery was conducted in Melbourne, Australia by world-renowned knee surgeon Julian Feller. Taylor is expected to make a full recovery by the end of 2012.

Taylor sustained the injury March 29 while playing for Fenerbahce (Turkey) in the Euroleague Final 8 and will miss the entire WNBA season as well as the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The three-time WNBA All-Star will rejoin the Mercury for the 2012 season to continue the rehabilitation process. She is expected to return to Phoenix prior to the May 20 season opener in Minnesota and is cleared to participate in all team-related activities. While unable to play, Taylor will be listed as an active player on the team’s 11-player roster.

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