Following an ankle injury while playing basketball, our friend Alsamdan returns to complete the season. Meanwhile, her family is planning a ski vacation. Women show a significant increase in the frequency of these tears when compared to males. A common cause of ACL injuries is a twisting motion of the knee that can lead to external rotation, or falling backward on the tail of the skis. To help prevent knee injuries, Alsamdan works on conditioning her lower extremities.
Conditioning allows less fatigue and, therefore, earlier muscular response on the slopes.
She specifically focuses on leg curls and leg press exercises to strengthen her hamstrings. With stronger hamstrings, Alsamdan will develop a greater level of protection when the ACL is challenged on the moguls. Alsamdan knows all about length of recovery from ACL injuries. A friend from school tore her ACL last year while skiing. Carried on a sled, the knee had swelled by the time she reached the bottom of the mountain.