Preventing ACL Injuries in Youth Athletes: How to Build Stronger, Safer Knees
Why do ACL injuries happen in young athletes?
ACL injuries are common in sports such as soccer, AFL, basketball, netball and other activities involving quick direction changes.
Sometimes an ACL injury occurs through contact with another athlete. But many happen without direct contact.
Think about an athlete landing from a rebound, suddenly stopping to avoid a defender, or planting one foot before changing direction.
During those moments, the knee needs help from the muscles around the hips, thighs and trunk to control the forces going through the body.
That's where good strength and conditioning can make a difference. Research also supports neuromuscular training — which can combine strength, balance, jumping, landing and agility work — as part of ACL injury-prevention strategies for athletes.
1. Build strong legs — not just big muscles
ACL injury prevention isn't about doing endless squats or trying to lift the heaviest weight in the gym.
Young athletes need strength they can actually use on the field or court.
A good program might develop the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves and trunk while also teaching the athlete to control their body through different positions.
Exercises could include squats, split squats, lunges, hinges and single-leg movements.
The key is appropriate technique and progression.
At Pivot Sports Performance, our integrated sports physiotherapy and strength & conditioning approach means we can look beyond whether an athlete is simply "strong". We want to know whether they can use that strength effectively during their sport.
5. Make prevention part of normal training
Here's the big one.
An ACL prevention program shouldn't be something an athlete does once every few months.
Consistency matters.
A structured warm-up can include jumping, landing, strength, balance, running and change-of-direction exercises. Research into youth sport injury-prevention programs also shows that implementation and adherence matter — athletes actually need to keep doing the program for it to have the desired effect.
For young athletes already completing strength and conditioning, ACL prevention principles can simply become part of their regular program.
That's much easier than treating injury prevention as another massive job to squeeze into an already busy week.
Keep them strong, confident and playing
There is no exercise that can guarantee an athlete will never injure their ACL.
The aim is to reduce risk while building a stronger, more capable athlete.
At Pivot Sports Performance, our sports physios and strength & conditioning coaches work together to help athletes develop the strength and movement skills required for their sport.
Whether your young athlete is preparing for another season, returning from an injury or simply wants to become stronger and more resilient, we can help build a plan around them.
Ready to get started at our Bundoora or Ringwood Facility? Book a session with Pivot Sports Performance and help your athlete build a stronger foundation for sport.
Further reading
For parents, coaches and athletes who want to dig into the research:
