What is Sportsmetrics™?
Sportsmetrics™ is an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury-prevention program for female athletes of all ages. Female athletes are more likely to have serious knee ligament injuries than male athletes, according to research. The program teaches safe landing and cutting mechanics in order to reduce the risk of ACL injuries.
If you're a female athlete, you may benefit from a Sportsmetrics™ training program. ACL injuries, or torn knee ligaments, tend to happen during sports with sudden stops, jumps or direction changes. These movements may cause your knee to cave in and stress the ACL. These sports include everything from downhill skiing and tennis to soccer and basketball.
What to expect from Sportsmetrics™
The program with a certified trainer is six weeks long and three days a week. Each session is an hour to two hours long. The program has four components to train your body to move correctly:
- Dynamic warm up
- Jump training
- Strength training
- Flexibility
The program's main focus is on jumping and strength training. Jump training teaches you how to jump softly and with a bent knee so your joints are safe when landing. Jumping correctly also strengthens your hamstrings and hips. This protects your knee from injury.
The Sportsmetrics™ program includes a Sports Injury Test (SIT). This measures your injury risk. The test compares your performance to a research database of hundreds of female athletes to see if you're prone to injury. The test also shows the strength and stability of your hips and core. The test creates a baseline to see how you may benefit from the program.
Sportsmetrics™ has a shorter program recommended for training sessions. The WIPP (Warm-up for Injury Prevention and Performance) conditioning program is a 15- to 20-minute warm-up session. It uses some important pointers from the regular Sportsmetrics™ program. You may learn the program from a trainer or from instructional videos. WIPP also focuses on building strength, speed, agility and coordination.