Lower Extremity Injury Risk Protocol: A Comprehensive Guide for Athletic Trainers

Movement Analysis, Workout Builder, Exercise Builder

When it comes to assessing injury risk in athletes, particularly for lower extremity injuries like ACL tears, it’s crucial to use accurate and effective evaluation methods. At Demotu, we’ve designed a Lower Extremity Injury Risk Protocol that provides Athletic Trainers with a reliable way to assess dynamic stability, mobility, and strength. Our protocols are based on proven methods that surpass the accuracy of AI-based systems, ensuring that you can make informed decisions without relying on artificial intelligence.

Demotu’s protocols focus on precise movement analysis through simple and highly accurate assessments—no need for AI motion capture. Below is our comprehensive breakdown for assessing lower extremity injury risks, which can act as a copy-and-paste resource for Athletic Trainers working with athletes of all levels.

Our Protocol for Screening Lower Extremity Injury Risk

1. Single Leg Balance

Focus: Proprioception and knee stability
Instruct the athlete to balance on one leg for 30 seconds, paying attention to how they control their knee position. This exercise evaluates proprioception, a key factor in injury prevention, particularly around the knee. The more stable the athlete is in a single-leg position, the lower their risk for injuries like ACL tears.

2. Single Leg Hinge

Focus: Hip stability and control
Have the athlete perform a single-leg deadlift movement, hinging at the hips while keeping the back straight. This exercise evaluates the athlete’s ability to control hip movement and maintain stability through the lower extremities. Poor hip stability is often a precursor to knee injuries, as the hip plays a vital role in overall lower body control.

3. Lateral Lunge

Focus: Lower extremity control
A lateral lunge requires the athlete to step laterally into a lunge position, ensuring that their knee tracks properly over the toes. This movement tests lower extremity control, focusing on hip and knee alignment under dynamic load—an essential factor for preventing ACL and other lower body injuries.

4. Countermovement Jump

Focus: Explosive strength
The athlete performs a countermovement jump, focusing on generating power through the legs. This assessment looks at the athlete's explosive strength, particularly in the lower body, and highlights any imbalances between the two legs. Asymmetry in strength or power is a key indicator of injury risk.

Joint Comparisons:

• Knee Flexion/Extension: Measure the range of motion in knee flexion and extension to

  

  ensure the athlete has full control through the entire range.

• Hip Flexion/Extension: Evaluate how the athlete moves at the hip joint, particularly in actions requiring both flexion (e.g., squatting) and extension (e.g., jumping).

• Hip Internal/External Rotation: Assess the degree of rotation in the hips, as limitations in this area are often linked to poor movement patterns and a higher risk of injury.
  

Research & Insights

Studies have shown that movement patterns seen in lateral movements and single-leg exercises can be predictive of injuries, particularly in female athletes, who have a higher risk of ACL tears due to biomechanical and anatomical factors. By incorporating these dynamic assessments, Athletic Trainers can get ahead of potential issues and implement corrective exercises to minimize injury risk.

Why Choose Demotu’s Protocols Over Competitors?

At Demotu, we don’t rely strictly upon AI motion capture to provide results. Instead, we use highly accurate, movement protocols that give more consistent results without the technological overhead. While AI can be helpful in some cases, it often lacks the precision needed for nuanced assessments like these. Our approach is built for Athletic Trainers who need reliable, proven assessments to guide their athletes to optimal performance and injury prevention.

By utilizing Demotu’s Lower Extremity Injury Risk Protocol, ATs can pinpoint weaknesses in dynamic stability, mobility, and strength that contribute to lower extremity injuries, especially in high-risk sports. Plus, with built-in tools like the workout builder and exercise builder, you can easily generate corrective exercises to target the areas that need improvement.

Incorporate Demotu’s Lower Extremity Injury Risk Protocol into your daily practice to enhance your athletes' performance while minimizing their injury risk!

Read about our other Lower Body Assessments:

Jump Performance and Lower Limb Power Assessment
Hip and Knee Mobility/Stability Protocol for Injury Prevention

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