Dynamic Perturbation Training System for ACL Rehabilitation

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are a significant problem for athletes, and the prevalence has increased exponentially due to the 10-fold increase in sports participation by women. Despite demonstrated ability to decrease injury rates through the use of neuromuscular training programs, the incidence of ACL injuries remains high due to poor adoption, and subsequent integration, of these programs into traditional strength and performance training routines. Ideally, a prophylactic training program would incorporate training features that address both intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with ACL injury risk without increasing athlete training time, supervision, or specialized training requirements for the coach. Perturbation training, in particular, has been shown to cause adaptation in the sensorimotor system and restoration of normal neuromuscular coordination that results in improved dynamic postural stability, postural control, and enhanced muscle activation patterns that actively stabilize the knee during unanticipated movements. To date, adoption of perturbation training has been limited because it requires specialized equipment, additional training time, and additional resources. The Principal Objective of this Phase IIB SBIR project is to complete product development and demonstrate usability in the field of a cost-effective and fully automated perturbation platform that improves an athlete's neuromuscular response due to unanticipated perturbations for the prevention of ACL injuries.