How to Avoid Injuries
Updated 06/02/2006
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Knee injuries are one of the most devasting outcomes of a soccer game and they happen to both girls and boys each year.  If you play competitive soccer, you will hear of such injuries each year.  This page describes some programs developed to help reduce the chance of such injuries

Now you may say, it won't happen to me or my child.  However, in 2005, both the Boys and Girls White Bear Lake Area High School Varsity Soccer teams had team captains that were recovering from ACL injuries (Anterior Cruciate Ligament, one of four main ligaments that stabilize the knee).   The Boys' Captain had injured his knee in May and did not start playing until a quarter of the way through the HS season;  the Girls' Captain had injured it at USA Cup in July and did not play in a single game her senior year.

In April, 2006 WBSC was contacted by Kelly Eberley, a physical therapist with HealthEast Optimum Rehabilitation in Maplewood, MN.   Kelly is working on developing an ACL injury prevention program for girls soccer players.  At one of the coaches meetings in April, 2006, she presented a ACL prevention program to the WBSC coaches.  Now, parents and players can also be exposed to that presentation

Highlights from Kelly's presentation :

2004 Study on Pediatric and Adolescent Soccer Players (Analysis of Insurance Data).
● 8215 injury claims
      ● 22% were knee injuries
            ● 30% female and 16% males
            ● 31% of knee injuries were ACL injuries
                ● 37% female and 24% were males

● Estimated cost of reconstructing and rehabilitating the ACL is roughly $700 million annually PLUS the loss of entire season, scholarship funding, lowered academic performance, long-term disability, and greater risk of radiographically diagnosed osteoarthritis

To view the complete presentation, click here for the PDF

Kelly's website favorites :
www.healtheast.org/healthinfo/3_Health_and_Wellness/FullArticle_sportsmed.cfm www.aafla.org 
Kelly's Contact Information - if you have questions
Kelly Eberley, PT, OCS      Phone : 651-232-7825      Email : kaeberley@healtheast.org   

Some other websites that may be of interest

http://www.aclprevent.com/  - a website created and maintained by the "The Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Research Foundation"

The PEP Program: Prevent injury and Enhance Performance
Web Link to PEP program

PDF of Exercises to avoid ACL Injuries

To view a video on "Reducing the Incidence of ACL Injuries", visit http://www.aafla.org/3ce/acl_frmst.htm.