MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- For a Marine, a typical physical training schedule consists of running, sprinting and lifting, which can lead to chronic knee problems over time.
In order to educate commands about one of the most serious knee injuries, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar’s Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Therapy Clinic physicians will implement the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Prevention Program.
The physicians plan to travel to each command aboard the air station and teach them preventative stretches before working out, targeting the strength and integrity in and around the knee. They also have a six to eight week regiment if a service member does get injured.
“It’s a program where we’re going to teach about the anatomy of the ACL and importance of it,” said Joseph Moore, a retired Navy captain and the current sports medicine advisor to Navy Medical West. “We’re going to try to roll it out over the next six months to help prevent ACL injuries. We are going to work with our fitness leaders to help implement, educate and train Marines on it.”
Most of the time service members incur knee injuries while playing recreational sports like basketball, soccer and football where cutting and jumping are prevalent, commented Moore.
“The pillars of prevention are flexibility, strength and endurance,” said Moore. “Marines should take one day a week working on lower extremity strength.”
Although the ACL Prevention Program is about prevention and knowledge, the SMART Clinic can also help heal injuries and rehabilitate service members.
After the SMART physicians initially diagnose the injured service members, they set a physical therapy schedule and monitor the injured service member. The SMART physicians also review the service members past medical history, conduct an initial physical exam and have recurring weekly exams.
“The trainers will do everything in their power to control pain, restore range of motion, function, strength and flexibility of the knee,” said Moore. “After the set time, we’ll see if they need surgery to repair the ACL.”
The introduction of ACL Injury Prevention Program at the SMART Clinic will help service members aboard the air station will be better equipped to recognize and prevent ACL injuries, and injured individuals will get the care they need to get back on their feet.
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