CSIC Research Helps ACL Recovery Process for Alpine Skiers

Canadian Sport Institute Calgary's Director of Strength & Conditioning, Matt Jordan, has had an interest in Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries for many years. As a Ph.D candidate at the University of Calgary and the sport science lead for Alpine Canada, the research Matt is conducting on ACL injuries will endeavour to assist Alpine athletes have fewer of these.

Matt worked with alpine skiers for many years. His research started with 4 athletes who were returning to train after tearing their ACL. Alpine skiers have a high rate of ACL injuries. Many elite skiers, such as Jan Hudec have suffered through ACL reconstruction, and had to endure the risk of ACL re-injury.

Matt uses a video system measuring leg muscle activity and forces during functional movements like jumping and squatting. He evaluates functional asymmetry and uses this to monitor the athlete throughout their return to the sport training phase. His approach is unique as it allows him to see asymmetry in functional movements that are important for the sport specific athletic performance of landing and the propulsion phase of a jump. In the attached video of Mark and Ronnie performing the testing, no imbalance is visible to the naked eye. The data shows that one leg compensates post injury to accommodate the other leg.

Click here to see video 1 - Roni Remme

Click here to see video 2 - Mark Hendrickson

The goal of this research is to develop these objectively determined measures of function to compliment the clinical findings of physicians and physiotherapists. The outcome from the asymmetric screening and testing of athletes is to reduce injury. Additionally, should an injury occur, research results will improve decision making around when an athlete is ready to return to the higher risk activity. With this approach the athlete, coach and medical team will feel confident with the decision to return to full training.

The relevance of this research to the CSIC is that it becomes integrated with other specialists, and important for several of CSICs resident sports including alpine ski racing and freestyle skiing. So far, he has presented at three international conferences, given lectures to local ski clubs and ski associations, and has three scientific articles published with his research supervisor, Dr. Walter Herzog.

Matt is planning to complete his studies in the next year and extend the findings of his research to other sports that have a high risk for ACL injuries. The application of this research methodology may become a leading approach to the ACL injury prevention and rehabilitation process.

Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary

Photo by Dave Holland: @csicalgaryphoto


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