Event Recap: ACL Prevention and Treatment — From Poor Neuromuscular Control to Optimal Return to Sport | October 2015

October 17, 2015 | Uniondale, NY

ACL injuries are among the most studied — and still most poorly managed — injuries in sport. On October 17, 2015, Professional Seminars brought one of the world’s leading ACL researchers to Uniondale, NY: Timothy E. Hewett, PhD, FACSM, the recently appointed Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Director of Biomechanics and Director of Sports Medicine Research. PTs, PTAs, ATCs, and CSCSs gathered for a full day of evidence-based education that bridged research and clinical practice in a way that few continuing education courses can.

What the Course Covered

Understanding the Gender Disparity in ACL Injury

Female athletes in jumping and pivoting sports sustain ACL injuries at four to six times the rate of their male counterparts — a gap that has widened as female athletic participation has grown. Dr. Hewett’s course examined the three primary theories behind this disparity: anatomic, hormonal, and neuromuscular gender differences — giving clinicians the scientific foundation to understand why this gap exists and what can actually be done about it.

Risk Assessment: Identifying High-Risk Athletes Before Injury Occurs

One of the most powerful aspects of the course was Dr. Hewett’s presentation of the latest assessment data for identifying individuals at elevated ACL injury risk. Understanding who is at risk — before they get hurt — is the essential first step in prevention, and Dr. Hewett’s lab at Ohio State and then Mayo Clinic has produced some of the most widely cited research on this topic in the world.

Neuromuscular Training Principles for ACL Prevention and Return to Sport

The afternoon focused on neuromuscular training principles — the evidence-based interventions that reduce ACL injury risk and optimize return-to-sport readiness. Dr. Hewett demonstrated practical applications of these principles, giving attendees a framework for integrating prevention-focused training into their clinical and performance settings.

About the Instructor

Timothy E. Hewett, PhD, FACSM is Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Director of Biomechanics and Director of Sports Medicine Research. Previously at Ohio State University as a tenured professor in Physiology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Family Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, and Health Science, Dr. Hewett holds a doctorate in Physiology and Biophysics with post-doctoral fellowships in Molecular Biology and Biomechanics. He has over 250 peer-reviewed publications with more than 20,000 citations and an h-index of 75. His honors include the NCAA and O’Donoghue Awards from the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, the APTA Rose Excellence in Research Award, and the NATA Clint Thompson Award for best paper. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and more.

Prevention Starts Before the Injury.

If you work with jumping and pivoting athletes — especially female athletes — the evidence presented in this course should inform how you screen, train, and clear your athletes every season. View upcoming courses at professionalseminars.com/courses.