Dealing with an ACL

Celebrity Sports Injuries

An ACL is what happens when one tears their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).  This often happens to people engaged in sporting activity.  It can be especially detrimental to those who have made sports their livelihood and career.  That is exactly what happened to Bernard King of the New York Knicks back in 1985. 

As reported in Fitwar, at the time, nearly 30 years ago, it ruined him.  He did come back some years later to his team and came in third in the NBA scoring in 1990-91 with 28.4 points for each game, but it was never the same.  Ultimately it was the ACL which resulted in his early retirement.  He had to have further knee surgery to remove his cartilage as well.

ACL’s Today

Nowadays things are quite different.  Rashean Mathis of the Jacksonville Jaguars recently endured the same injury but he’s doing just fine.  There are so many more rehabilitative options available for him than there were for King.  Thus Mathis is currently working out at his team’s facility.  He said, “'I'm not ready to let go of my guys yet - the locker room, the camaraderie we have.  That is still a part of me. There will be a day where I wash my hands of it and say, 'The Lord has allowed me to do great things,' but that's not there.”   The expectation today is that Mathis will return to football and re-sign with his team even if at some point later on, he moves to a different team.  He does plan on going back to professional football though.  It seems that his fate will be quite different to that of Bernard King a few decades ago.

Cheerleading Injury Prevention Tips

Cheerleaders commonly experience accidents while training and performing.  Many of these injuries can be minimized and prevented with the proper care.  First of all, cheerleaders should limit their stunts.  When doing pyramids, cheerleaders are supposed to adhere to the guidelines of only having two body lengths in high school and 2.5 in college with the base cheerleader in contact with the surface where they are performing. There are other strict guidelines for basket tosses, mat use and other tips that help to prevent injuries.

When training, it’s also important for the cheerleaders to have a qualified coach and to have proper training before trying out any stunts.  Certainly, when training, cheerleaders should use resistance exercises to gain strength, regular stretching, and only returning to play when clearance has been offered by a medical professional.

All of this should help cheerleaders to stay safe and to properly prepare for their performances.

Martial Arts Injury Prevention

Martial arts are a wonderful form of exercise, and it’s also a great way for children to learn discipline.  It comes with potential injuries, however, and it’s important for children and adults alike who do martial arts to be aware of these potential issues.

Common issues with martial arts include concussions, head/eye/ear and nose injuries, neck injuries and injuries to the extremities.

How can these be prevented?  First, before beginning martial arts, you should have a physical exam done to make sure that you are healthy and ready for this sport.  You should learn about the potential risks for the sport before you look into exactly which type of martial arts to do. 

You should always be training and practicing under the supervision of an experienced teacher. Make sure to do your warm-ups and cool-downs properly and to wear the proper equipment. This might include gloves, mouth protection pieces, headgear, padding, etc. 

With these tips, you should be able to keep yourself safe while enjoying your martial arts experience!