| Prevention | |||
| Dr. Bob Johnson from the University of Vermont, feels
that if you are aware of the common mechanism that causes ACL injury, then you can help
skiers avoid this, ie don't sit back, and then try to recover. If you are aware of this
mechanism, perhaps you can prevent ACL injuries. This mechanism, and the prevention, was described in an article: Ettlinger, CF: Johnson, RJ; Shealy J,D. A method to help reduce the risk of serious knee sprains incurred in Alpine skiing. Am J Sports Med 1995 Sept-Oct 23(5): 531-7 He has reviewed thousands of hours of on hill ski injuries. The most common injury has been described as the phantom foot injury. The phantom foot mechanism and the possible preventive measures have been outlined in a video tape available from Dr. Robert Johnson, The University of Vermont, Stafford Hall, Rm 426A, Burlington, Vermont. 05405-0084 Ph 802 65-2250 fax 802 656-4247 From a practical point of view, most patients that I have talked to say that the injury happens so fast that they are unable to think about any recovery maneuver. The phantom foot mechanism is most commonly seen when the skier sits back, and the ski carves inward, the quads contracts to recover, subluxing the tibia forward, tearing the ACL. The elements of a potential ACL tear are illustrated here:
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