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Performance Enhancement Program
Satisfied ParticipantsOur clients say it best. Read comments from some of our satisfied participants about their personal experiences in the Performance Enhancement Program!
Part of an Academic Medical CenterThe Sports Medicine Program is part of Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin, the only academic medical center in eastern Wisconsin. All program physicians — board-certified orthopaedic surgeons and family medicine physicians with a focus in sports medicine — are Medical College of Wisconsin faculty. Medical College physicians offer a heightened level of expertise, knowledge and advanced care that only an academic medical center can provide. Team physicians are also involved in performance enhancement research (including women’s sports medicine), such as risk factors for ACL injuries.
PEP OutcomesMost PEP participants (excluding endurance runners and pitchers) undergo general before and after testing for abdominal strength, jumping ability and small range ability. During the three-year period of 2004 – 2006, the following performance outcomes have been recorded:
Statistics based on six-week (12-session) programs
- Abdominal Strength = 49 percent average increase
- Vertical Jump = 21 percent average increase
- Small range agility = 20 percent average increase (jumping less than 2 feet from one point to another in many directions)
ACL Risk Factors for WomenFemales — especially adolescents and young women — face a higher risk of injuring anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury than males. ACL risk factors for women include:
- Decreased ligament strength during different stages of menstrual cycle
During the menstrual cycle, estrogen and progesterone levels increase in the body, and this increase is thought to cause decreased ligament strength.
- Notch size
The space (notch) that the ACL and PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) sit in is thought to be smaller in women. As a result, there is a greater potential for the ACL to be severed.
- Increased Q-angle
Women have a greater Q-angle — the angle from the hip to the ankle. A greater Q-angle is caused by hip varus (wider hips), knee valgus (knock kneed) and foot pronation (flat feet). Having a greater Q-angle puts more stress on the ACL.
- Landing mechanics and neuromuscular control
Women tend to land flat footed, and don’t bend their knees enough when landing. Women also tend to let their knees collapse inwards when landing from a jump. These mechanics put more stress on the ACL and more pressure on the knee joint. These poor landing mechanics are usually due to a lack of neuromuscular control.
- Hamstring strength and reaction
Women tend to have stronger quadriceps muscle than hamstring muscle. This puts more shear force on the tibia and can put a greater strain on the ACL. When landing from a jump, the quadriceps and hamstrings need to fire equally to keep the knee in its most stable position. Since women tend to use their quadriceps more, the hamstrings don’t fire equally. This places more shear force on the tibia which, in turn, puts more stress on the ACL.
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