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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