ACL Injury Prevention: The Training Habits That Cut Knee Injury Risk

ACL injuries are devastating. Six to twelve months of rehabilitation, significant financial cost, and — perhaps most damaging — the psychological burden of watching your team compete without you. The good news is that ACL injury risk is genuinely modifiable. Research-backed training interventions consistently reduce ACL injury rates in high-risk sports.

THE MECHANICS BEHIND ACL INJURIES

Most ACL injuries in football occur during deceleration, landing, or change of direction — not contact. The mechanism is a valgus collapse of the knee (the knee caving inward) combined with insufficient hamstring activation. This positions the joint in a vulnerable alignment under high loads.

The factors that increase ACL injury risk include: quad-dominant movement patterns, weak glutes and hamstrings, poor single-leg stability, inadequate landing mechanics, and fatigue-related movement breakdown in the final quarter.

THE EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION PROTOCOL

The FIFA 11+ program, originally developed for soccer, has been adapted across multiple sports and consistently reduces ACL injury rates by 30–50% when implemented correctly. Its key components are:

Nordic Hamstring Curls — Proven to increase eccentric hamstring strength and significantly reduce hamstring and ACL injury rates. Should be a staple of any football pre-season.

Single-Leg Stability Work — Bulgarian split squats, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, and single-leg landing drills. Builds the neuromuscular control that protects the knee under fatigue.

Landing Mechanics Training — Teaching athletes to land with soft knees, hip hinge, and stable alignment. Most effective when introduced early in the pre-season.

Hip and Glute Activation — Targeting glute medius and hip external rotators. Directly reduces knee valgus under load.

WHAT ACE PERFORMANCE OFFERS FOR ACL PREVENTION

ACE Performance offers an ACL Prevention and Resilience program at all Melbourne locations. Assessment includes a movement screen, single-leg strength testing, and landing mechanics analysis. Programs are 8 weeks and are designed to be completed alongside your regular sport training.

Enquire at your nearest ACE Performance location.