How to strengthen the legs to avoid torn ACL?

(cas) · (cas) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 09-09-2003, 1:32 AM

Hi!

There is a lot of stories, at the moment, about torn ACL's.

Is there any way to strengthen the legs, to minimize the risk? Or is it a good idea to get braze?

wicomico 09-09-2003, 7:38 AM

i stated in another post... i don't know of a way to stretch/strengthen acl, but i stretch really hard for a good 15mins to keep everything loose so my body can sustain a lot more. i figure if i can eventually get into a human pretzel, no fall will hurt (as far as pulls, strains, torques...)
i imagine lifting weights can't hurt. doing legs has to help keep the acl active so i'd assume that would be a plus?

(rock_n_boardin)

I am not sure of the exercises ,but someone who has rehabed an ACL might know of some. You could use the same exercises to strengthen the muscles around an uninjured one I would think.

leslisa 09-09-2003, 8:51 AM

Beats me, but I walk everyday, get on the trampoline with the kids, and do yoga. No tears, breaks, etc. yet (actually except for a sprained ankle from soccer nothing at all and I'm 35ish), but then again, I'm not doing any inverts yet either. I'm still working on w2w jumps.

(yooper) · (yooper) **Join Date: Jun 2002** 09-09-2003, 10:58 AM

No matter how strong your leg muscles are, you are still at risk for an ACL tear. Period. If your leg twists or turns or gets wrenched the wrong way, it will tear.
Remember Jamal Anderson from the Falcons? He tore the ACL on one knee in '99, the other the next season.. This guy had to have jeans custom made because his thighs were so huge compared to his waist.
I've torn my ACL, and I can tell you, its mostly chance.

bandit33 09-09-2003, 11:06 AM

Building up the thigh muscles (the quads in front and the hamstrings in back) always helps. Leg press, leg curls and leg extensions with weights will build those up.....but like Jamie said, even the strongest muscles near the knee won't always protect them. Sometimes it is just going to happen. Rehab usually goes better and faster if the leg muscles were in good shape to begin with though.

(cas) · (cas) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 09-09-2003, 2:41 PM

Is it a good idea to get a knee brace (or do I need two)? I am prepared to spend the money on it. Or would it be overkill?

stormrider 09-09-2003, 6:34 PM

Wouldn't be a bad idea, at all. Charley Patterson rides with braces on each knee and nobody calls him "uncool." Danny Harf tore his ACL, but still competed all last season, the brace apparently served the same purpose as the ACL, so braces must work or Harf could not, plain and simply, have competed.

Get the pressure off your knees by riding a board that lands soft: Zues/CWB Absolute lands buttery smooth. My knees used to "burn" when I rode. Now they're fine.

(midwestrider) · (midwestrider) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 09-11-2003, 2:38 PM

As Don suggested, lifting is definitely a benefit. Keeping active outside of wakeboarding (jogging, biking, swimming) are all excellent leg workouts that help strengthen your entire leg. There is nothing you can do/use to completely prevent an ACL/MCL tear.

I am not sure about wearing knee braces as a preventative measure. As long as you don't wear them for everything, you should be alright, but if you start wearing them all the time, you will actually do the opposite of what you want and weaken the muscles around the knee because you will not be flexing it in the various other directions. Stay fit and active and hope for the best is my recommendation.

Jb