ACL Prevention Program Exercise List

ACL Prevention Program Exercise List

General Instructions

When performing each of these exercises, it is of utmost importance to pay close attention to knee positioning. Exercises performed incorrectly can cause more harm than good.

Make sure that each knee stays in line with the hip and the 2nd/3rd toes, and does not collapse inward. Also, prevent the knee from traveling forward past the toes. All exercises performed for the first time should be carefully supervised by a credentialed professional.

Dynamic Warm Up Exercises

Perform each exercise for 10-20 yards (or 10 repetitions if indicated).

  1. Jogging
  2. Backwards Jogging
  3. Butt Kicks
  4. Heel Walking
  5. Toe Walking
  6. Reverse Lunge with Trunk Rotation -> Single-Leg Balance
  7. Lateral/Transverse Lunge with Toe Touch (10x)
  8. Medial/Lateral Leg Swings (10x)
  9. A-Skips, B-Skips
  10. Monster Walk or Lateral Shuffle
  11. Bear Crawl or Spiderman Crawl
  12. Inchworm

Strength Exercises

Perform one set of each exercise for 30 seconds.

  1. Single-Leg Hip Bridge
  2. Dead Bug or Alternating Arm/Leg Reaches
  3. Modified Superman or Bird Dog
  4. Clamshells
  5. Plank/Side Plank combo
  6. Heel Raises
  7. Single-Leg Deadlift Reverse Walking
  8. Russian Hamstring Curls* (if partner available)

Exercises For Balance

Choose at least one variation of each of the two exercises. Perform each exercise for 30-60 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds after performing one set on each side. Perform 2 sets of each exercise.

  1. Single-Leg Stance
    1. Leg Reaches
    2. Reciprocal Arm/Leg Reaches
    3. Hip Rotation
    4. Eyes Closed
    5. Sport-Specific “Ball” Pass
  2. Single-Leg Squat
    1. Normal
    2. Multi-Directional Arm Reach

Plyometrics

Choose 3 exercises per session. Progress in order of difficulty, starting with the first exercise on the list. Incorporate single-leg hops once all double-leg hops can be performed with perfect form. Perform one set of 10 repetitions for each exercise. Rest for 60-90 seconds in between in each exercise. Rest is not needed between sides when performing single-leg hops.

  1. Double-Leg Hops
    1. Wall Jumps/Ankle Bounces
    2. Compass Hops (clockwise and counterclockwise)
    3. Rotational Hops
      1. 90º
      2. 180º
    4. Lunge Jumps
    5. Jump with Sport-Specific Activity (catch, header, shoot)
  2. Single-Leg Hops (for those that have progressed through all double-leg hops)
    1. Bounding
    2. Speed Skaters
    3. Compass Hops (clockwise and counterclockwise)
    4. Rotational Hops (90º)

Agility Exercises

Perform each exercise once in each direction.

  1. Box Drill (clockwise and counterclockwise)
  2. T-Drill (first side shuffle to left or right)
  3. Shuttle Run
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