Stopping knee Injuries before they happen: Free jump assessments at Fisher-Titus

Knee injuries are becoming more and more common, especially among high school athletes — especially female athletes. Knee ligament injury rates are 2 to 10 times higher in female athletes than in male athletes and every year in the United States, 1 in 100 female high school athletes will suffer a serious knee injury. One way to prevent knee injury, is by correcting an athlete's form. The Sportsmetrics program at Fisher-Titus, can help an athlete identify any issues and correct them before an injury ever occurs. During the month of April, Fisher-Titus will be offering free jump assessments to help determine if you or your high school athlete is at an increased risk for knee injury. What is Sportsmetrics? Sportmetrics is a training program tailored to correct deficiencies that can lead to injury, in particular ACL and other knee injuries. Created under the direction of internationally-renowned orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon, Frank R. Noyes, M.D., Sportsmetrics is the first and only training program scientifically proven to decrease knee injuries in female athletes and to increase muscular power and jump height. Fisher-Titus has two employees specially trained in screening for these deficiencies and helping correct them through the Sportsmetrics program. Jake Rospert, ATC, FMS, CSMS and Kelly Kuhbander, PT, CSMS will be conducting the screenings and will lead programs to help athletes correct their jumps. What does the screening involve? Our certified professionals will use the Cincinnati Sportmedicine's Exclusive Video Analysis Software to provide objective measurements of knee movement during landing and jumping. The screening will measure several important factors such as an athlete's coordination and body alignment. The compilation of data from all performed tests will be compared to a large research database of over 800 athletes which. The database is used to understand factors that may predispose an athlete to injury. Testing includes: • A history of prior injuries and sports participation• Video analysis of jumping/landing• Single leg function hop tests• A written analysis of performance sent to your home The athlete is videotaped jumping off a 12-inch box to the floor and directly performing a maximum vertical jump. One of the software looks for is excessive inward motion during activity. Athletes who exhibit excessive inward motion may be a greater risk to sustain serious knee injuries. Testing takes 15 to 20 minutes and only requires an appointment and a signed consent from the athlete or his/her parent if under 18. Lycra shorts or leggings are the best attire for the screening as it allows the athlete to have a full range of motion while ensuring the software can properly analyze body alignment. Who can benefit from a screening? While these screenings are open to anyone age 10 or older that is concerned about their risk for knee injury, there are some groups of athletes that may especially benefit from a jump assessment and the Sportmetrics program. These include: • High school athletes• Female athletes• Cheerleaders• Volleyball players• Basketball players• Other athletes who jump frequently What comes next? Once you complete your screening, your results will be sent directly to your home. If the screening detected deficiencies, Fisher-Titus will soon be offering the Sportsmetrics training program to help correct these. Talk to the athletic trainer or physical therapist conducting your screening to see what they suggest your next steps should be. Scheduling your screening These jump assessments are free and will take place at Fisher-Titus Medical Center during the month of April. To schedule an appointment, call the Fisher-Titus rehabilitation department at 419-660-2700. Jeri Inmon, PT is a rehabilitation manager at Fisher-Titus. For more information on rehabilitation services at Fisher-Titus, fishertitus.org/medical-services/rehabilitation. To learn more about the Sportsmetrics program, visit sportsmetrics.net.