The Effect of an ACL Injury Prevention Program on Gluteus Medius Strength Between Genders

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Abstract

Context: Current research indicates the gluteus medius as an important muscle in the prevention of ACL injuries. Previous studies have not examined the effects of an ACL injury prevention programs’ effect on gluteus medius strength, nor if there is a difference in benefits received from an ACL injury prevention program between genders.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an ACL injury prevention program on gluteus medius strength as well as strength gains from the implementation of the program between males and females.

Design: Quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test.

Setting: Testing was performed in a controlled laboratory setting by the researcher.

Participants: Twenty-four physically active college students (male=12, female=12) that were injury free volunteered for this study.

Interventions: Subjects were randomly placed into an experimental or control group. All subjects’ gluteus medius strength was tested bilaterally at the beginning and end of a six week period in which the experimental group underwent an ACL injury prevention training protocol for 12 sessions twice a week.

Main Outcome Measures: Gluteus medius strength was assessed at the end of the six weeks and compared between experimental and control groups as well as males and females in the experimental group.

Results: A significant difference in gluteus medius strength was found between the experimental and control groups (t = 2.697, p = .016). There was not a significant difference in gluteus medius strength between genders in the experimental group (t = -0.665, p = 0.527).

Conclusion: The implementation of a six week ACL injury prevention program significantly improved average gluteus medius strength, while average gluteus medius strength was not significantly difference between males and females in the experimental group. This suggests males and females benefit similarly from this ACL injury prevention program and the widespread use of this ACL injury prevention program may potentially decrease ACL injuries

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